Nine Minutes
by serpentguy
Summary: During the final fight with Crocodile, Luffy makes a mistake and ends up dead. His heart stops beating for over nine minutes, before he is finally resuscitated. Who knew what a difference those nine minutes would make? Luffy/harem.
1. Chapter 1: Death of a Straw Hat

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

_**Summary: During the final fight with Crocodile, Luffy makes a mistake and ends up dead. His heart stops beating for over nine minutes, before he is finally resuscitated. Who knew what a difference those nine minutes would make?**_

**This story begins during Chapter 209, or Episode 126, and provides an alternate take of how the Alabasta Arc could have ended.**

**My challenge for this story was to write one with multiple romances, a good plot, and believable character development.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. **

**Rated for violence and future lemons.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Death of a Straw Hat**

His body was beaten and bloodied. He had lost so much blood that it was a miracle he was still moving, and Luffy could feel the poison creeping through his body. Even rubber bones could still break, and the beating he had received in the last hour would be enough to kill most men, several times over.

Still, Luffy never stopped. There was no rational thought involved, just primal instinct. He knew that if he paused or hesitated, then he would collapse.

At this point in the fight, Luffy was being powered more by pure determination and rage rather than flesh or bone.

With a wordless scream of fury, he slammed his fist straight into Crocodile's chest with a sickening crunch. In the previous battles, the Warlord had fought with an air of arrogance, as if there was nothing that Luffy could do to hurt him. That was gone now. Both fighters were injured and sluggish, and it had turned into a pure tooth and nail fight till the bitter end.

Crocodile's teeth clench as he felt the impact rupture something. It had been years since anyone had pushed him so far. Still, he didn't give an inch. For all Crocodile relied on his Logia abilities, he could still slug it out with the best of them.

But Luffy wasn't done. Before Crocodile could react, the pirate was pulling his leg back and smashing his foot into Crocodile's jaw with concussive impact. Luffy followed through the attack relentlessly, stretching out his arm like a whip and slamming the Warlord's face straight through the solid stone of the temple tomb.

Crocodile was coughing blood heavily now, but he recovered like a monster. After years of breezing through weaklings, he was finally in for the fight of his life. Luffy was panting heavily but still going strong, and despite everything Crocodile started to feel begrudging respect for the young pirate.

_But I will still kill you_, Crocodile vowed silently, releasing the spring-loaded blade from his prosthetic hook.

He was up on his feet in seconds, thrusting the blade straight at Luffy. The young pirate barely dodged.

"I don't know where you came from!" Crocodile growled with unconcealed hatred. "But do you have any idea who I am? _You are an insect to me_!"

Luffy took every blow and dished them out with payback. Between the adrenaline and the numbness of the poison, he couldn't even feel pain anymore.

"I WILL EXCEED YOU!" Luffy roared with fury, before slamming his foot upwards at breakneck speed. The impact hit Crocodile straight in the chest and took him off his feet, sending him flying upwards.

Around him, the temple was collapsing, but Crocodile didn't care. This time, he would watch Luffy die. "Disappear with this building!" Crocodile snarled, before creating a miniature sandstorm in the palm of his hand.

The sandstorm expanded in a second. Suddenly, raging sands were flying through the air, disintegrating everything in to dust. Solid stone withered into sand in seconds.

The erosion nearly flayed Luffy's skin off his body, but he forced himself forward. More pillars were collapsing and the roof was following down faster, but he didn't care. He was seconds away from being buried alive, but there was no room for hesitation. The poison was pumping through his body, but he had to push on.

With an unhuman gasp of air, his body suddenly expanded into a balloon, and his flexible muscles twisted himself around into a corkscrew. He used the force to lift himself off his feet, and suddenly he was rocketing up into the air, ready to finish this battle once and for all.

Towards the side, narrowly avoiding the falling debris, Nefertari Cobra could only watch in amazement as the two superhuman pirates batted it out. His kingdom had collapsed, his subjects were killing each other, and his daughter might well be dead, but he still could only watch with awe as Luffy refused to give any ground.

On the other side of the temple, Nico Robin was having an equally bad day. The true history, one which she had spent years searching for, was being lost underneath a mountain of rubble. She had lost the Warlord's protection, and it wouldn't be long before the World Government renewed their interest in her. She was back to being one of the most hunted people alive.

Still, she was also staring at Luffy with an amazement she hadn't felt in years. Suddenly, Nico Robin was eight years old again, watching a huge giant laugh even as he fought to his death…

The final exchange only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Both Crocodile and Luffy were colliding in mid-air. There was no running, no avoiding this attack. _One final blow_, both parties promised themselves; _I'll end this in one last blow_.

Luffy pulled back his arm, stretching it as tight as a rubber band as he prepared to unleash everything he had left. Crocodile gathered the sand across his body, releasing a wave of four razor-sharp blades of sand with deadly accuracy. The blades cut across the air, and Luffy knew that this was the end.

There was no way to avoid it. Luffy gathered up all the might he had left; he was powering through.

Time seemed to slow down. Luffy could feel everything; from the blades of sand eroding his skin to the burning anger in his soul. His muscles were as tight steel wire, ready to spring.

Still, just as he was about to unleash, Luffy made the greatest mistake of his life. Suddenly, the image of his friends popped into his head, and he couldn't help but wonder if they were still safe. For half a millisecond, Luffy hesitated.

That was all it took. Razor blades of sand, as sharp as steel, hit his body straight on; biting deeper into his flesh than anything ever had. He barely had time to glimpse the smirk on Crocodile's face, before suddenly the man was dropping down on to him viciously.

"_I win,_" Crocodile snarled, pulling back his prosthetic hand and slamming the metal blade straight into Luffy's chest.

He expected the knife to feel cold or sharp, but it didn't. All Luffy felt was a dull impact as the blade cut through his ribcage.

He barely even felt himself hit the ground. His vision was already blurring and his body felt cold. So much blood was pouring out of his chest; much more than any man could afford to lose. Crocodile landed straight on top of Luffy, twisting the blade and pulling it out to leave a huge gash over Luffy's heart.

The life was fading out him quickly, and strangely Luffy felt like he was floating. All of the anger and fury that had kept him going simply evaporated, and left him with nothing but pure despair. The last thing he remembered was the faces of his friends flitting across his vision, before one final thought pulled him into darkness:

_I lost_.

* * *

Crocodile was panting heavily as he stood over the body of his dying foe. His muscles were screaming with pain, but at the same time he felt an elation that he hadn't felt in years; the joy of vanquishing a worthy foe.

Somewhere, deep in his bones, he knew how close he had actually come to defeat.

"It was a pleasure, Straw Hat." Crocodile murmured wearily, pulling himself to his feet. For once, there was no sign of arrogance or condescension in his voice. The young pirate had earned that much. He paused only to pick up Luffy's straw hat, holding it tightly.

Around him, the temple was creaking dangerously. It was a wonder that it had lasted so long. Too many pillars had been destroyed; the roof was about to collapse in a mountain of rubble.

Crocodile chuckled as he looked at Nefertari Cobra, who was watching him with pure shock.

"_Your majesty,_" Crocodile said sarcastically, already walking away, carrying the straw hat with him. "I think my business here is done."

Crocodile smiled as he glanced around the collapsing ruins of the temple. "You know, I honestly can't think of a better death for you," he muttered. "The last king of Alabasta, buried alive in the ruins of the Tomb of the Kings; it does have a certain elegance to it, don't you think?"

Cobra didn't respond. He was feeling totally hollow; all of his emotions had been muted by a sinking certainty that everything he held precious was doomed.

"Now, if you excuse me…" Crocodile mocked, before disappearing in a whirl of sand. "I'm going to destroy what's left of your kingdom."

* * *

Up above, in the capital of Alubarna, the civil war was raging strong. Between the loyalists and the rebels, there were millions of men killing each other in plaza in front of the Alabasta Royal Palace.

There was too much anger and resentment for the battle to stop. Not even the growing sandstorm could stop the battle. Nefertari Vivi had the worst seat in the house for the conflict; she was left standing on the clock tower, screaming hopelessly for the fighters to stop.

"Please…" She begged, the tears streaming down her face. "Just stop the fighting…"

Never had she felt so helpless. Her friends had fought and bled to save lives. Her childhood guardians had sacrificed everything to save the country. But despite everything, she was left standing on the clock tower, watching the country that she held most dear destroy itself.

"Very touching, your Highness," a sarcastic voice drawled from behind her. It was a voice that sent shivers through her spine.

At once she turned around, her Peacock Slashers in hand. She barely had time to react before suddenly as a strong hand gripped her by the neck and held her over the ledge.

"You…!" She could barely speak though the grip on her throat, but she still managed to spit out as much hatred as she could.

"Who else?" Crocodile smirked, tightening his grip. "I'm actually really impressed. You managed to stop my bomb. Commendable, Miss Wednesday."

Vivi struggled feebly, but Crocodile was too strong. His face was covered in blood, but the arrogant smile was back. Vivi was left kicking in mid-air, suspended over a fifty foot drop.

Crocodile's grin widened. "Commendable," he praised. "But ultimately futile."

Without warning, he let go, and Vivi felt herself dropping. She only just heard Nami screaming out in shock from below, and suddenly strong hands caught her in mid-air and she landed on the ground with a dull thud.

Sanji was looking down at her with open concern, but Vivi was shaking with terror, looking upwards at the clock tower. Sanji put her down gently, and as one the Straw Hat Pirates turned to face their opponent.

"Oh no…" She heard Nami exclaim with dread. Around her, Zoro had unsheathed his swords and Sanji was preparing for a fight, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in both of their eyes. Anybody who didn't know them better, might even think they were scared.

With a whirl of sand, Sir Crocodile materialised at the base of the clock tower. He was glaring at the pirates with open disdain.

"So you managed to defeat my subordinates," he said foully. "What a bunch of pathetic miscreants. They never even managed to fulfil a simple order…"

The seven pirates were all nervous. Usopp looked like he was about to faint. Chopper was trembling so much his hooves clattered across the cobbled stones. Nami wanted to run, but refused to leave Vivi's side.

Crocodile's gaze darkened. "I suppose if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself."

Around him, a sandstorm was brewing with renewed intensity. There was a fury in his eyes as he looked down on the pirates. The sand was churning so fast that they all had to cover their eyes.

"It doesn't matter if you stop the bomb. It doesn't matter if you defeat every other member of Baroque Works!" Crocodile growled. "I'll bury this whole goddamn city in sand!"

The sandstorm was growing so strong it started to drown out every other noise. Even the echo of the war couldn't compare.

"Get ready!" Zoro screamed, but they were all injured. He wasn't sure how much fight they had left in them. Hell, even if they were at their peak, he wasn't sure if they could take down the Warlord.

"Luffy will be here, right?" Chopper was screaming frantically, his high-pitched voice even more so. "There's no way that Luffy would let him get away!"

The chuckling was the most sinister thing that any of them had ever heard. Crocodile was laughing with genuine, evil, pleasure.

Wordlessly, with a smug smile on his face, Crocodile held up a dirty straw hat that they all recognised.

Vivi felt her heart stop. Nami collapsed to her knees. Usopp was left speechless. Even Roronoa Zoro, normally so composed, looked like he had just seen a ghost.

They all knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that there was no way that Luffy would ever allow someone to touch his hat.

Not while he was still alive.

"I doubt think your captain is coming." Crocodile replied with satisfaction. The looks on their faces made him feel so much better about today's events. It had been a close thing, but he had still come out on top.

And, just to pour salt in the wound, Crocodile took great pleasure in wrapping a miniature sandstorm around his hand, and proceeding to shred the straw hat in to pieces.

Tiny wisps of straw were engulfed by the sand.

* * *

In the Royal Tombs, the place was still collapsing. Huge chunks of granite threatened to crush them, but Nefertari Cobra didn't care.

For over a millennium, throughout the Void Century, the Nefertari Royal Family had protected the country. It was their duty, and their privilege. Now, under Cobra's rule, his country had fallen. He had lost everything.

Perhaps he should have treated to run, or escape the falling rubble, but he didn't. Instead, the king of Alabasta just sat quietly in the doomed temple, wallowing in his grief.

A few metres away from him, Nico Robin slowly stood up and walked towards the unmoving body of Monkey D. Luffy. She was quiet for a moment, before suddenly arms sprouted out of the floor and pulled Luffy into the relative safety underneath a large piece of rubble.

Wordless, Robin started to work. She pulled Luffy on to his side, and tried to bandage up the huge gash across his chest. She injected an anti-toxin into his body. More hands sprouted out from the surroundings, keeping pressure on his wounds while she tried to keep what little blood he had left in his body.

Cobra watched her silently for a while. Neither of them seemed to care about the collapsing ceiling.

"He's dead," Cobra said finally.

Robin nodded. "I know."

His heart wasn't beating. Still, she moved Luffy out of the recovery position, and started to perform CPR.

The minutes dragged on uneasily. Huge lumps of rubble continued to collapse, but the ruins of the Royal Tombs were holding up better than anyone had expected.

Robin didn't even pause. She didn't cry or show any emotion whatsoever; she just kept on trying to push life back into the pirate's body. Even as the minutes dragged on, she didn't relent. A dozen hands sprouted from the ground, trying desperately to tend to the many wounds.

Eventually, Cobra could watch no more. It was painful seeing the woman trying to bring the pirate back to life with quiet desperation.

"Why do you care so much? What the hell is that boy to you?" The king demanded harshly. "Why does his death affect you in the slightest?"

"I don't know," Robin admitted, without hesitation. Her voice was quiet, but there was uncertainty in it. "I just don't think I could survive watching another person I admire die."

Cobra was silent for half a moment. Then, without comment, he stood up and staggered over to Luffy's side, and helped the woman perform CPR. Together, the king and the outlaw worked to bring the pirate back to live.

Cobra took over the defibrillation, while Robin tried to get his lungs working again. With a deep breath, she tried to breathe life back into his body.

As their lips met, it was like a spark of electricity.

* * *

Meanwhile… _somewhere_ else…

Luffy felt himself floating. That was the best way to describe it. There was no light or sound, but that didn't matter because he didn't have eyes or ears. There was a complete lack of attachment as his consciousness simply drifted away. He had no idea where he was going; he had no idea where he had come from.

Luffy had never been one to think about death. He had never been bothered by it. Suddenly, he wished he had gave it more consideration.

Struggling seemed pointless. There was nothing to struggle again. It was like trying to swim against a current when you didn't have arms or legs.

A timeless moment later, Luffy felt himself reach some sort of boundary. It was a like a waterfall pouring down into a void. He didn't know where it led, but he suspected that he wouldn't be coming back.

All he could think about was his friends, and his family. Everyone he cared about, and everyone he had failed.

_I'm so sorry_, he thought with regret.

Suddenly, he felt his consciousness stop moving. His spirit lurched, as if something had grabbed a hold of him.

Although he would never tell anybody about the experience, Luffy was convinced that he heard voices whispering in the background, like a prickling in the back of his mind.

"…_not right_…"

"… _what am I supposed to do about_ …"

"…_whatever… shouldn't be happening_…"

"…_take it up with_…"

"…_there will be consequences_…"

"…._it can't happen like this_…"

Somewhere, some cosmic entities were arguing about him. Suddenly, Luffy felt himself accelerating backwards. A bright light came into view.

"… _can't happen now… he's not smiling yet_…"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**First chapter up! I'm going to be uploading the first few chapters quite quickly. I'll probably be uploading the next one tomorrow or the day after.**

**Thanks to everyone reading; reviews and comments are always much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2: Zombie

**Nine Minutes**

**Disclaimer: In all probability, I do not own One Piece. However, I can't discount the possibility that I secretly have a split personality which _does_ own One Piece, and so I am currently in a Dr Jekyll/ Mr Hyde situation with Eiichiro Oda. Still, this is extremely unlikely, so I should probably just say I don't own One Piece at all.**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_**Luffy is defeated and mortally wounded by Crocodile, leaving Robin to desperately attempt to revive him. Crocodile then renews the sandstorm surrounding the civil war in Alubarna, while confronting the injured Straw Hat Pirates; proceeding to destroy Luffy's straw hat right in front of them…**_

* * *

**Chapter 2: Zombie**

The sandstorm raged like something out of a horror movie. This wasn't a natural storm, but the work of a devil. Within minutes, the city of Alubarna was surrounded by a sandy apocalypse.

"It would have been so much easier if that bomb had went off…" Crocodile growled to himself. Veins were throbbing on his head, and the effort of maintaining such a large sandstorm was getting to him. He had spent months constructing a bomb large enough to demolish the entire city, but in the end it was useless.

He would just have to take destroy the city himself.

The sandstorm was focused around the plaza, where the battle still raged strong. The sandstorm forced all of the soldiers into the centre, where the causalities were quickly mounting. The storm cut off any retreat, and the two sides were left to kill each other. They were like rats trapped in a cage; nothing left to do but fight. Any survivors would be slaughtered by the sand. The death toll would be in the seven digits.

Alabasta was suffering its worst disaster in history.

Crocodile's injuries were hurting, and the strain of overexerting his powers was building, but he pushed on. That straw hat had made him work for it, but his victory was nearly in sight. After the disaster of Alubarna, it would be a tragedy that would reverberate through the country. The country would be left financially and economically destitute, without a military and a complete lack of government.

After that, it would be child's play to pick up the pieces. Crocodile would move the entire capital to Rainbase, and he would bring in mercenaries to replace the army. Baroque Works would step in to keep order in the country, and the citizens would welcome Crocodile with open arms. He would be a wealthy benefactor, supplying aid when the country needed it the most.

And, eventually, he would become king. Once Crocodile was in complete control, then he could unearth the ancient weapon, declare independence from the World Government, and after that it was just the beginning.

But, first, there were just a couple of million people that he needed to kill.

* * *

"That bastard…!" Zoro grunted through the pain. The sand was swirling so fast that he could barely even see. Not even the combined effort of the Straw Hat crew could get close to Crocodile. They were all badly injured, and this was turning into a fight that they couldn't win.

"He's lying, right?" Usopp insisted, the tears rolling down his eyes. He was looking between each of them desperately. "Luffy's not dead, right. Luffy can't die."

The effect of seeing that straw hat destroyed was the emotional equivalent of sledgehammer. Nami had collapsed into a heap. Chopper and Usopp were clinging onto each other, both looking for some sort of reassurance. Even Zoro couldn't even stop his hands from shaking.

As much as he tried, Zoro couldn't focus on the battle. He just kept on replaying that moment in front of his eyes…

_That hat was his treasure… Luffy would never allow it…_

_Enough_! Zoro screamed to himself. He had to focus. This just might be the final fight of his life.

"We need to attack together!" Sanji called beside him, shouting to be heard over the roar of the storm. He was one of the few still capable of fighting. There were no insults or bickering between Zoro and Sanji. Not now.

"You go left! I'll go right!" Zoro roared back, and together they launched themselves at Crocodile.

"_He's lying, isn't he_?!" Usopp screamed. He'd been repeating that for the last five minutes. "Luffy is not… he can't be…"

_Pull it together_! Zoro screamed internally, but he just couldn't say it out loud. His voice was blocked.

Quick as flash, Zoro darted forward through the sand. He barely glimpsed Sanji attacking from the other direction. The figure of Crocodile zoomed in to view, and Zoro's swords blurred.

"Aren't you dead already?" A bored voice came from behind him. Faster than Zoro could react, the Warlord had already materialised behind him.

A blade of sand hit Zoro straight on. He could feel the sand grinding up his skin. Suddenly, every wound Zoro had burst open. It felt like his body was being shredded.

There was nothing he could. The impact took him off his feet and flung him away.

"ZORO!" Sanji called next to him. _Zoro_, he noticed vaguely, _not Marimo_…

Sanji lasted a few seconds longer before Crocodile swept him off his feet. The chef was sent crashing into a nearby building.

"I'll give you credit; you are all persistent," Crocodile noted, almost absentmindedly. "Almost as persistent as your captain was."

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Usopp screamed suddenly, drawing his slingshot. Usopp had been more badly wounded than any of them, but he was still charging towards Crocodile fearlessly. "STOP LYING! LUFFY IS NOT DEAD!"

Explosive stars rained from Usopp's slingshot. They didn't have any effect on Crocodile, who shrugged them off before crushing the sniper beneath an avalanche of sand.

Nami desperately tried to wield her Clima-Tact, but Crocodile's sandstorm made it impossible. There was no moisture in the air to use. Within a second, Nami was sinking into quicksand beneath her.

Chopper fared no better. The sand took him down with a wave of Crocodile's hand.

Vivi stood there, completely still. Her eyes had a hollow look to them. Her body was shivering. She had been literally frozen through grief and fear.

_Get up_! Zoro screamed at himself. His arms weren't responding like they normally did. He could hear his own heartbeat, and it sounded weak. Every breath he took felt like agony.

Still, through pure force of will, Zoro's staggered to his feet. His body was so weak he could barely lift up his swords.

Through blurry eyes, Zoro could see Sanji standing up as well. Sanji was rocking like a pendulum as he stumbled forward.

Crocodile was looking at them all with vague amusement. Admittedly, Crocodile was far from his peak as well, but compared with the rest of them he was still the strongest one left.

"It must be a medical condition," Crocodile decided finally. "A complete lack of self-preservation and common sense. Apparently, this condition is terminal."

Usopp was picking himself up, barely. He was coughing more blood than he had ever done. Chopper had to pull Nami out of the sand, but they were both struggling for breath. Crocodile could have killed them all with ease, but he had never been one for a quick finish.

Crocodile looked between them all curiously. "I have a proposition for you." He declared loudly. "It seems like I'm in need of better subordinates. And since your crew is lacking a captain, perhaps an arrangement could be made."

Crocodile was standing right in front of Zoro now. The swordsman longed to cut him in half, but it was taking everything he had just to stay conscious.

"I can be lenient," Crocodile said after a moment. "I will allow you and your friends to live. I will even forgive your past transgressions, as you were clearly suffering from poor leadership. In return for my generosity, you will work for me. You are all capable; you would be well rewarded for your loyalty."

Zoro tried to speak, but apparently his voice wasn't working either. The best he could do was gargle incomprehensibly.

Crocodile looked at him impatiently, before grabbing the swordsman by the throat and lifting him up with one hand. "Well? Speak up!"

Barely, Zoro managed to spit out the words. "…_Go_…" he gasped. "…_Fuck_… _Your_–."

Crocodile only smiled. "Yes," he nodded. "It's definitely a terminal medical condition."

With a fluid motion, Crocodile's bladed prosthetic hook suddenly lunged itself into Zoro's stomach. He couldn't feel the pain; it just felt like dull blow to the chest. Crocodile released his grip, and Zoro dropped on to the ground like a ragdoll.

Zoro couldn't even move as the sand surrounded him, dragging his limp body underground. Around, everyone else was suffering similar fates. The ground had turned into a vortex of quicksand, pulling the pirates down.

Within seconds, the sand was covering Zoro's head. It was filling up his mouth, choking him as he tried to breath. Images of his crew flashed before his flickering vision, and the last image that he remembered was one of Kuina, smirking as she defeated him once again.

_I'm so sorry…_

* * *

Vivi tried to run. She tried to scream. Even as she watched her friends be defeated, one by one, she tried desperately to do something.

But it was no good. Her body simply wasn't responding to her anymore. It wasn't working properly. Nothing was working properly.

The image of Luffy flashed before her eyes. "_All I need to do is send Crocodile flying, right?"_ Luffy had asked, completely carefree at the time. Suddenly, now that the pirate was gone, it felt like a piece of Vivi had vanished. _This is obviously a dream_, Vivi thought almost absentmindedly; _or a nightmare_. It was utterly inconceivable that Luffy would ever leave her…

In front of her, Crocodile was strolling over to the princess. Vivi didn't even have the energy left to hate him. Grief had left her completely hollow.

"Miss Wednesday," Crocodile greeted the princess sarcastically. He inspected her critically. She didn't even flinch. "I was planning on killing you, but perhaps there are better options. After this is over, a former princess may be useful. I can always sell you, if nothing else."

With that, Crocodile simply started to stroll away.

"Please don't go far. I _will_ find you once this is over," he promised.

Instantly, Crocodile dematerialised into sand. Vivi was left staring helplessly at the destruction of her hometown, and the death of her friends.

Without warning, Vivi collapsed into a pile on the ground. She had failed everything. She didn't even struggle as the sandstorm overwhelmed her.

* * *

Buildings were collapsing under the force of the sand. Piece by piece, the entire city was eroding away.

Somewhere, in the chaos, Igaram arrived with an injured boy, desperate to reveal the truth about the rebellion and reach the princess. Still, the sandstorm blocked his path and drowned out his cries for help. Nobody was capable of stopping the war now.

The rebel leader, Kohza, flickered on the edge of consciousness. However, in the frenzied fighting the makeshift medical room had been devastated, and the sandstorm overturned and buried his stretcher. Kohza was left to slowly bleed to death on the ground.

The head guard, Chaka also tried to move. His wounds were less serious, but they still caused him to stagger across the ground. Even as he shrieked for order from on top of the palace defences, nobody was capable of hearing him.

Tashigi and the Marines did what they could. Her forces had been devastated by Nico Robin and Crocodile, but they tried to maintain some order. It was a wasted effort; neither the rebels nor the loyalists knew which side the Marines were on, and so they ended up getting slaughtered by both parties.

The causalities were skyrocketing. Although the rebels had outnumbered the loyalists two to one, loyalist cannons and artillery had taken its toll. The entire battle had lost any semblance of order, and had degraded into a huge brawl in the middle of the city. Between the sand and the savagery, it was impossible to know who was fighting who. Visibility was zero. It was nothing but bloodshed.

Crocodile stood at the edge of the palace walls, smirking as he watched the bodies drop. Sooner or later, they would all perish, fighting a meaningless war. The weaklings would die like the insects they were, and on top of their corpses Crocodile would achieve his ambitions.

The Warlord rolled a cigar with satisfaction, savouring the taste. It had been a long, hard journey, but in the end it was all worth it.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the ruins of the Royal Tombs, a large piece of rubble shifted dangerously. The rock groaned as it was heaved upwards.

One by one, the debris was forced out of the way with brute strength. It was slow, uneasy, yet by pure determination the rocks were forced upwards.

And, like a zombie rising from the dead, a figure crawled out of the ground.

* * *

Each step was a goliath task. His heartbeat felt unsteady, threatening to collapse with every beat. His teeth ground together as he forced himself onwards.

The sound of heavy breathing was the first warning Crocodile received. Crocodile's eyebrow rose as he heard the sound; it was a hoarse breathing, so strained that it sounded more like an animalistic snarl.

Crocodile turned to see the person staggering towards him slowly. The pain in every step was obvious.

There were few things that had ever surprised Crocodile. He praised himself in being cool, calculating and infallible.

Still, this sight astonished him. It was the first time that Crocodile literally couldn't believe his eyes. He had to blink twice just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Crocodile could distinctly remember cutting out this man's heart, but nevertheless he was still walking towards him.

"You're dead!" Crocodile protested, hovering somewhere between astonishment and disbelief.

Monkey D. Luffy growled. His eyes glowed with an ice-cold fury that he had never felt before.

"_No,_" he snarled. "_That's _my_ line_."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**If you would like to prepare for the next chapter, I recommend you listen to "This is Gonna Hurt" by Hoobastank. I was listening to that song constantly as I was writing it…**


	3. Chapter 3: No Mercy

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: According to the multiverse theory, there exists a universe for every feasible possibility. Therefore, there exists a universe in which I DO own One Piece and Eiichiro Oda is left writing fanfiction for free. Unfortunately, that universe is not this one.**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_**Luffy is defeated and mortally wounded by Crocodile. Crocodile then proceeds to destroy his straw hat, bury his friends alive, and slowly kill millions of people in a sandstorm.**_

_**Luffy's not very happy with that…**_

* * *

**Chapter 3: No Mercy**

Crocodile stare at his foe with wide-eyed astonishment. "I watched you die," he said finally. "I _cut your heart open_. How are you still alive?"

Luffy just gritted his teeth and pushed himself forward. His limbs weren't responding the way they normally did. It took everything he had just for simple movements. His body was weak.

Slowly, the shock wore off and the astonishment turned into laughter as Crocodile saw Luffy struggling to walk properly.

"You are _literally_ too stupid to die," Crocodile realised, still laughing with deep breaths while watching Luffy stagger towards him slowly.

Luffy didn't respond. He could barely even hear Crocodile's taunts. The sound of his straining heart trying to pump what little blood he had left was deafening. His arms started to tremor uncontrollably, and he was blinking heavily through bloodshot eyes.

"This is the _third_ time you've come back to life after I thought you were dead," Crocodile muttered with bemusement. "Next time, do I have to burn the body and scatter the ashes just to make sure?"

Luffy gulped loudly. His throat felt so dry it felt like sandpaper. It was hard to even gather enough breath to speak. Finally, he managed to gasp. "…_My… friends_…" he snarled. "_What did you do with them?!_"

"Oh, those weaklings?" Crocodile said dismissively. "I killed them all."

The Warlord seemed to hesitate. "Well, I _think_ I killed them all," he confessed. "Although I do admit that I've been wrong about that a lot recently."

There was no sudden reaction from Luffy, but his hands clenched into fist so tightly that he half-expected his knuckles to protrude from his skin. A long, animalistic snarl scraped from Luffy's throat.

"_I will…_" he gasped weakly. Between the pain and the adrenaline, he could barely see properly anymore. His muscles were twitching so quickly it felt like his bones were being pulverised. It was hard for him to even find the words. "… _will_…"

Crocodile laughter increased. "You'll do _what_ exactly?" Crocodile mocked. "You can barely even stand up straight. You have no water, hell – you don't even have any _blood_ left. You won't even be able to touch me. There is absolutely nothing you can do anymore."

Crocodile just glared at Luffy, but there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. "And honestly?" Crocodile continued. "I have absolutely no desire to fight you. To kill you in this state it would be, well… _shameful_."

Luffy didn't outwardly respond. His body was weak and broken, but his eyes shone with an intensity that he had never felt.

Luffy had thought he knew what anger was. He had felt angry when he fought Arlong. He felt angry whenever someone touched his hat. He felt angry whenever he watched someone kind get hurt. Anger was like a fire in his blood; it was an emotion that pushed him forward even when it hurt. Anger was what drove forward when something precious was at stake.

But he had never felt _this_ before. This wasn't anger; this was pure, undiluted, ice-cold _fury_.

He could feel it in his bones. It suppressed any other feeling, as if his body was being frozen from the inside. For all he was in pain, his mind felt clearer than it had ever been. He was fuelled by a disturbingly rational focus, as sharp as a blade. This was more than just rage; this was hatred with so much clarity and passion behind it, that Luffy might have felt scared if even he could feel anything at all.

For the first time in his life, Luffy felt absolute _murderous_ intent.

This time, he wasn't going to beat his opponent. He wasn't going to send him flying.

This time, he was just going kill him.

Luffy glared at Crocodile with eyes that were already picturing the Warlord's cold, dead body. "_I will end you._"

* * *

Zoro was balancing on the edge of the unknown when suddenly he felt the breath return to his lungs. It was the most glorious thing he had ever felt. All he could do was breathe in the deep, beautiful oxygen, spitting out the sand that filled his mouth.

His head was spinning and his body was limp as strong hands pulled him out of the ground. The sand avalanched around him, but he could feel himself being lifted upwards.

Everything was so unfocused that overwhelmed him. Images, sounds and sensations all just flashed around him. He was completely delirious from lack of oxygen, and his body had been beaten so badly that all his strength was gone.

Still, as Zoro gasped in the precious air, a strange sense of calm started to fall over him. Even as he was pulled out of the ground into a loud chaos, all he could feel was a weirdly serene peace.

And then he heard a voice, one which cut through everything else and rang crystal clear. It was a woman's voice. His eyes started to focus, and finally Zoro managed to focus a face.

It was Tashigi. She was dirty, bloody and bruised, but there was no sign of weakness as she kept on pulling Zoro out of the sand, while shouting loudly for medical aid. Suddenly, Zoro was seeing the lieutenant for the first time, and he instantly realised that he had never seen anything more beautiful.

For once, her resemblance to Kuina never even crossed his mind.

Around him, more of his senses started to work. The street had been buried under tonnes of sand, but the place was crawling with Marines as they worked to desperately pull the Straw Hat pirates out.

"He's lost a lot of blood! Stab wound to the stomach!" Tashigi shouted loudly; her officer voice was clear and sharp. "Get a doctor over here!"

Vaguely, Zoro glimpsed half a dozen marines trying to evacuate Sanji, while Chopper was unconscious and lying completely still. Vivi and even more marines were digging desperately for Usopp, and through the corner of his eye Zoro spotted Nami as well.

Another woman was there, standing in the middle of it all. She was tall, slender, pretty, wearing a white cowboy hat and high-heeled boots. It took a few seconds for Zoro to recognise her as Miss All Sunday. Hands were sprouting out of the ground around her, helping to rescue Usopp and Nami at the same time.

"These are pirates!" one of the marines was shouting angrily. The Marines all looked weary and injured. "We shouldn't be helping them!"

For half a second, Tashigi locked eyes with Miss All Sunday, and Zoro sensed some tension between them. Still, Tashigi turned away and ordered firmly. "Just do it; or I'll have you court-martialled for insubordination," she threatened. "Now bring the medic over here."

Zoro was completely unable to move and barely conscious as he felt his body being wrapped in bandages. His wounds were cleaned and cauterised, but he barely even winced as hot knife sealed his flesh.

Slowly, Zoro managed to make out the other pirates being rescued and given the medical attention that they so urgently required. Around them, the sandstorm was still raging strong.

Zoro's voice was hoarse as eventually croaked. "Crocodile… where is he?"

A flash of worry flickered past Tashigi's face, and she turned to look at Miss All Sunday. The older woman was calm, or at least much better at hiding her emotions.

"Crocodile is being dealt with," she said simply.

* * *

On the palace wall, Crocodile was laughing again. He was too full of himself to recognise the dangerous glint in Luffy's eyes.

"You really don't change, do you?" Crocodile grinned. "Eager for death right up until the end. I would have hoped that having your heart cut open would have taught you _something_, at least."

Luffy didn't respond; he was completely still, not even blinking. Crocodile crossed his arms, deliberating carefully.

"Alright," the Warlord decided finally. "I'm offering you an once-in-a-lifetime free pass. More than you deserve, at least. Turn around and walk away now, and I'll let you go safely. Get out of the city, seek medical attention, and never cross me again."

Luffy's breaths were shallow and quick. His body wasn't trembling anymore though, but suddenly his hand was completely steady. It was the same steadiness of a dying man, perhaps.

When Luffy didn't move, Crocodile frowned and continued. "Did you hear me, straw hat?" Crocodile growled. "I don't offer mercy very often, so take it and be grateful. It's over; I've won, move on."

There was another moment's silence. Nobody moved. Crocodile sighed.

"I really don't want to kill you," he admitted finally. "You fought too well to die like this. If nothing else, I've come to respect your determination. You faced insurmountable odds, but you never backed down. It's been years since I've faced a foe like you, and I have no desire to ruin the experience."

Luffy didn't even twitch. His body was too injured. Crocodile might not be at his peak either, but Luffy was struggling just to stay alive. Luffy knew that he would never survive in a fair fight.

That's why this fight wasn't going to be fair.

Crocodile smiled softly. "No," he muttered. "You would never walk away, would you? I should never have expected anything different."

He adjusted the blade on his prosthetic hand absentmindedly. "I'm going to kill you now," Crocodile said finally. "I'm going to cut off your head, and I'm going to watch you die. I know that you will struggle to the very last breath, so I'm going to make it quick."

Crocodile started to walk towards Luffy, already starting to generate a miniature sandstorm in the palm of his hand. "It's a pity you're such a fool," Crocodile muttered regretfully.

Finally, Luffy spoke up, his voice quiet and dangerous.

"At least I know what colour sand is," he said slowly.

Suddenly, the Warlord paused. He hadn't expected that. "What?" Crocodile exclaimed, wondering briefly if Luffy had gone mad.

Luffy raised his head to meet Crocodile's gaze. "What _colour_ is sand?"

Crocodile smirked. The boy had definitely gone mad. "Yellow, of course."

"Then why has the sandstorm turned green?"

That got the Warlord's attention. Suddenly, Crocodile was looking around him in surprise, but it was true. The swirling storm that covered the city was tainted with green streaks swishing through the air. Quickly, the green started to increase, until eventually the air around them was covered green. With a sinking dread, Crocodile realised that he recognised the colour.

"What did you do?!" Crocodile shouted with increasing panic.

"I didn't," Luffy said coldly. "_You did_."

The green was rising higher and higher into the sky, supported by the sandstorm. Crocodile knew that he needed to stop this sandstorm right now, but it was too late. Not even his powers could stop it now.

"_You_ smuggled dance powder into Alubarna to frame the king," Luffy continued emotionlessly. It was amazing the clarity that death could give you. Once Luffy had regained his consciousness, suddenly he started to think and remember things that he never could before. "But the king refused to use it. That means there's a large amount of dance powder hidden in the palace somewhere, and _you_ destroyed the palace."

Luffy's eyes were murderous. "All I had to do was keep you busy long enough; then your sandstorm would eventually sweep up the dance powder with it and spread it into the atmosphere."

The Warlord was momentarily speechless. He knew what that meant. Dance powder was lighter than sand; it rose upwards faster. It was finer than sand, and there was enough of it to dye the storm green. As soon as that much dance powder hit the upper atmosphere, there was only one thing that could possibly happen…

Within seconds, the sky started to cloud over as the green powder accelerated the formation of the water clouds. It wasn't long before the first rain drop hit the ground, followed quickly by the second.

Two seconds later, and suddenly the sky had burst open and unleashed a torrent of rain onto the city. It was a flash rainfall of biblical proportions, as rain drops the size of boulders came crashing down from the sky.

The sand never stood a chance. The rain overpowered the sandstorm, leaving Crocodile watching in shock as his whole plan literally washed away.

Luffy just glared him. There was no doubt or hesitation. The young pirate was like a completely different person.

With everything he had left, Luffy moved in a flash. There was instantly a knife in his hand. Crocodile had been expecting some heavily broadcasted and furious assault, but this was so quick and quiet it caught the Warlord completely by surprise.

Crocodile tried to use his powers reflexively, but there was no way his Logia abilities could work with so much water in the air. Within a second, Luffy was plunging the blade deep into Crocodile's chest.

Nico Robin had quite kindly donated the knife.

The rain covered everything. Luffy was drenched to the bone in seconds, but he didn't care. His blade was suddenly embedded into Crocodile's sternum, and he could feel the sickening crunch as the metal scraped against bone.

Crocodile gasped in shock. Blood was rushing out of him, leaving red puddles on the stone. Luffy's grip was completely steady, even as he kept on pushing the blade through Crocodile's body. He tore through muscle and bone without hesitation.

As Crocodile's breathing became deathly shallow, Luffy's voice was cold.

"For what you've done; there is no forgiveness. _No mercy,_" Luffy whispered quietly.

The Warlord's body stopped struggling, and limply fell to the ground. Luffy watched him drop, wondering briefly wondering whether he should feel anything, but he didn't.

"Nobody hurts my friends," Luffy said softly, dropping the knife on the ground. The determination and murderous intent slowly leaked out of him, leaving him feeling hollow and weak.

Luffy gently lay down on the walls, watching the rain sweep across Alubarna. There was still fighting in the main plaza, but it was slowly dying down. All the anger and hatred was being washed away, leaving nothing but the confused and the dead. All the soldiers, loyalist and rebels, were gradually beginning to wonder who and why they were fighting as the sand was cleared away.

After he had climbed out of the Tombs, Luffy had asked King Cobra to break open the storage and spread the dance powder onto the ground, while Robin had went to try and save his friends. There was a knot in Luffy's stomach that refused to ease when he thought about his crew.

The minutes past slowly, but the rain showed no signs of letting up. A _lot_ of dance powder had been released. The desert kingdom of Alabasta might actually have its very first flash flood, but Luffy didn't care. Some things deserve to be washed away…

Almost absentmindedly, Luffy reached up to feel the gruesome wound across his chest. Robin had done what she could, but it would still leave a nasty scar. The rain was so heavy that the bandages were soaked through, and slowly Luffy felt himself losing consciousness again.

The boy gently dropped to the ground, watching the rain come pouring down. The last thing he saw was the still corpse of Crocodile, as the rain cleaned away the blood. _The rain washed it all away_…

* * *

It took the rest of the day for the fighting to finally end. The majority of the battle ended with the rain, but there were localised conflicts throughout the city until nightfall. It only really ended once everyone was too tired to continue.

The dead filled the streets. Many had died in the sandstorm, even more had died from the battle itself.

The Marines played a large part in bringing it under control. Tashigi set up medical stations for the wounded, and treat anybody, despite the side, that was still fighting as hostile. The straw hat pirates were treated by the Marines for most of the day, until what remained of the Palace Guard evacuated them to the palace to avoid any arrests.

The head guard Chaka found Luffy and the body of Crocodile by scent after the rain had cleared, and quickly took the young pirate back to the palace for urgent medical treatment. After inspecting his wounds, the palace medic, Ho, couldn't believe that the pirate was still alive.

By midnight, King Cobra was back on his throne, but his control was dubious at best. He met with the remaining leaders of the rebellion and explained the true nature of the rebellion and the influence of Crocodile and Baroque Works on the country. Igaram was there, with his witness, to corroborate the story. The rebel leaders had had their taste of bloodshed and accepted the story bitterly.

Still, without the testimony of Kohza, then the whole explanation felt to many like a cover-up by the Royal Family. This led to the conspiracy theory that in fact Sir Crocodile had been murdered and used as scapegoat to explain away the failings of the king. Kohza himself was currently unconscious from severe blood loss, and there was no sign of him waking up.

It also wasn't lost on many that Cobra had been forced to use dance powder, the very substance that started the rebellion, in order to stop it. Even if the rebellion was officially over, it seemed clear that the king's rule would be challenged for a very long time.

There was no celebrating the end of the battle. Far too many had died.

Princess Vivi, once she had heard about Luffy's condition, had run to the palace and waited outside the medical room for hours. Nobody was sure whether Luffy would still make it sure, and the medic Ho had expressed doubt whether he would be able to stitch up a wound that severe.

Finally, a grim and tired Ho exited the chamber, his gloves still stained with blood.

"I have never seen such life force in a patient before," the doctor admitted, straightening his circular glasses with bloodied hands. "I was doubtful that he could survive, but the young man seems to refuse to die."

At once, a huge ball of tension was released from Vivi's shoulders. She practically collapsed from relief. "He'll be ok then?" Vivi asked insistently.

Ho nodded. "As far as I can tell, yes. I have stitched up his chest wound, performed several blood transfusions, and treated his other injuries. Right now, he just needs rest and recuperation."

"Can I see him?" Vivi begged. "I really need to see him?"

The doctor hesitated. "He will be unconscious for some time, princess. I don't want to disturb his recovery."

"Please?" Vivi pressed. She had been incredibly worried about Luffy, and the nightmares in the back of her head had been driving her insane. All Vivi wanted was just to see him again. "I promise I won't disturb him, I just…"

Her voice trailed off. The old man nodded kind-heartedly. "As you wish, princess. Please follow me."

As he opened the door, Ho suddenly looked uncertain. "There is one other thing you should know," he said hesitantly. "I understand that gentleman in question ate a Devil fruit?"

Vivi nodded with confusion. "Yes; the Gum Gum Fruit. He was a Rubber-man."

Ho cleared his throat. "The dynamics of Devil fruits are not particularly well understood," Ho confessed. "But it is known that once the user dies, the Devil fruit power leaves the body and is reincarnated into a fruit elsewhere."

The doctor continued uncertainly. "Now, it is possible (very rare, mind you!) for a person to reach such a state of near-death that the power actually leaves the body, and in such a case the power will not return when the user recovers."

The princess gasped. "You mean…?"

He nodded grimly. "Yes – the power of the Gum Gum Fruit is already gone," he explained. "Monkey D. Luffy is no longer a Rubber-man."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Quick note on the Out-Of-Character behaviour in this chapter:**

**Luffy had just died. He was much too weak to fight properly, and the confidence that normally drove him was gone. His most precious object was gone, and his friends were likely dead. With that in mind, do you really expect him behave like he normally does? I think murderous is a pretty reasonable state of mind for him to be in. **

**As for his sudden intelligence in this chapter – that was meant to be weird. Call it an epiphany brought on by his death, and it's not going to be suddenly "and now he's smart". I don't believe in instantly changing a character's personality, but I do believe in character development and different sides of a character. That's what I've tried to do.**

**For Crocodile, I think that by the end of their final fight, the Warlord seriously started to respect Luffy. I mean, in the Impel Down arc, where Crocodile never once showed anger to Luffy, or tried to take revenge, and then he even faced Akainu just to save Luffy's life – If that's not respect, I don't know what is. Crocodile was actually unwilling to fight Luffy this time, and in the end that caused him to hesitate.**

**I'm really sorry that I had to kill Crocodile off. Crocodile is an awesome character, but it's just not the same story if anything less happens.**

**Couple of points to bear in mind:**

** \- Luffy's not a Rubber-man; the fight with Enel just got a LOT more difficult.**

** \- Ace's Vivre Card was lost; breaking into Impel Down is going to be awkward.**

** \- Crocodile is dead; Boy, Luffy is in trouble when he needs to break **_**out**_** of Impel Down…**

**On the plus side, Luffy doesn't have a Devil fruit anymore, so (who knows?) maybe he could eat a new one…**

**Comments and suggestions are always welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4: I Will Get Stronger

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I **_**do**_** in fact own One Piece; if by One Piece you mean the hand-drawn, rip-off comic under my bed which I created to scam Eiichiro Oda out of money. Otherwise, no, I don't.**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_**After a near death experience at Crocodile's hands, which his hat and crew barely survives, Luffy kills Crocodile mercilessly. **_

_**It is discovered that Luffy's Devil fruit powers have been lost from the experience.**_

* * *

**Chapter 4: I Will Get Stronger**

Luffy felt his eyes twitch as, very gradually, he returned to consciousness. His body ached and his mind felt sluggish. It was hard to focus, and his thoughts were so blurred. Slowly, he tried to pull himself up, but all he could manage was to twitch his fingers.

"He moved!" A voice next to him called suddenly - a woman's voice. "I think he's waking up."

Suddenly, the sound of that voice made something click in his brain. Luffy's eyes shot open quickly. That was the sound of his friends.

Nami was standing over him, looking down with a mixture of happiness and concern. Beside her, Usopp and Chopper were draped over a chair, Zoro was reclining in another hospital bed, while Sanji was smoking by the door. All of them were instantly alert as soon as Luffy woke up.

"Luffy!" Nami shouted in alarm. "Thank God you're alr–"

She was cut-off as Luffy lurched forward, and wrapped Nami up in a hug so tight it squeezed the breath out of her. Nami was left speechless as Luffy hugged her, unwilling to let go.

The relief that poured through Luffy's body was overwhelming. _My friends_, he thought desperately; _my friends are all alright_…

The next second, Usopp and Chopper had jumped on Luffy, joining in on the hug. Chopper had tears pouring from his eyes and was mumbling nonsensically. Usopp was crying just as heavily and wailing loudly. Luffy wrapped his arms around both of them and squeezed tightly.

_They were all alive_. The very thought felt like it rebalanced his Luffy's entire world. The fear of losing his friends pierced his entire soul right to the very core.

_I came so close…_

At one time, the concept of losing his crew was so utterly implausible that Luffy had never even gave it any consideration. There had been a lot of things he hadn't thought about…

Now, in the moment, all Luffy wanted to do was hug his friends one by one, and try and reassure himself that he would never lose them again. Perhaps if he squeezed them tightly enough, he would never have to let go.

"You're ok!" Usopp was sobbing loudly into Luffy's shoulder; the words were barely distinguishable between the heavy gasps of air. "He's ok! Everyone, it's ok! I knew you'd be alright!"

Standing in the doorway, Sanji took a heavy breath of his cigarette and chuckled at the sight. Zoro smirked with satisfaction. Nami felt the tension drop of her shoulders, and a sense of normality oozed over the group. She had been more worried than she had ever been, but the sight of her captain acting as normal and stupid as usual made her heart backflip.

Luffy, still hugging Usopp and Chopper tightly, was trying to clamber out of the hospital bed, wincing involuntarily as he moved. For Chopper, the doctor in him suddenly took charge.

"Luffy!" Chopper yelled in his high-pitched voice. "You can't move around, your stitches…!"

The captain didn't seem to hear him, and still kept on trying to pull himself up despite the reindeer's warnings. Usopp was acting the exact same fool he always, refusing to break the long hug.

Gradually, Nami felt a familiar temper rise over her. "Idiot!" she snapped loudly, before suddenly hitting Luffy across the head. "You're still injured!"

As soon as her fist hit Luffy, Nami instantly regretted it. She used to hit him much regularly and much harder, and each time the impact was just the same as hitting a rubber ball. Luffy would always act hurt and sore, but there was no real pain behind it.

This time was different. Nami felt her fist collide with a hard skull, and the punch created a dull thud. Nami's knuckles stung, and Luffy was knocked backwards in shock and pain.

"Ow!" He exclaimed loudly, his eyes widening. "That… hurt?"

At once, the atmosphere in the room became still. Luffy looked around with confusion.

"But… I'm a Rubber-man." There was a hint of a question in his voice.

At once, the atmosphere in the room died. Nami was looking down at him sympathetically. Experimentally, Luffy tried to pull his cheek. It didn't stretch. Gradually, realisation dawned.

The captain then moved his hand to head, looking around for his hat. He glanced around with panic, before Nami carefully put her hand on his shoulder. She had to force herself not to cry. Nami shook her head gently.

She had expected him to cry or explode with fury. Instead, his shoulders sagged and Luffy simply muttered. "Oh."

Somehow, that was even worse.

Nobody knew what to say. Even Usopp was left uncharacteristically speechless. Sanji stood by the doorway, smoking his cigarette coolly, but he couldn't look at Luffy. An awkward silence fell over the group.

There were footsteps as Vivi hesitantly arrived in the room. She was biting her lip with uncertainty, unable to make eye contact with Luffy.

"Luffy…" She stammered hesitantly. All Vivi could think about was how it was all her fault. Luffy had been seriously injured, he'd lost his Devil fruit abilities, and his hat was destroyed, and it was all because the princess had dragged him into her battle. "…I'm really sorr–"

She couldn't even finish her sentence as suddenly Luffy was charging out of his bed, completely ignoring the pain and his stitches. The pirate darted across the room, and instantly enveloping Vivi in a tight hug.

Vivi was left speechless, but there was absolutely nothing left to say.

Luffy's shoulders were trembling slightly, and it took them a moment to realise that he was forcing himself not to cry. Through blurry eyes, Luffy lifted his head up and exclaimed to the entire room, "_I'm sorry, guys_!"

Luffy could never blame anybody else, especially not his friends. It had been his mistake that nearly cost him everything, and his friends had been the ones that suffered.

"Idiot," Nami chided, but gently, while patting Luffy's shoulder. "It's not your fault. You beat Crocodile. You won, remember?"

Luffy smiled weakly, but didn't say anything. He might have beaten Crocodile, but it hadn't been a victory.

* * *

Princess Vivi had promised them all a big feast after it was over, but their injuries were so severe that it had to be delayed for a week while they recovered. It was just as well, because for the days after the battle, no one in the kingdom felt like celebrating.

Zoro's wounds were bad, particularly the stab wound to the stomach. Still, compared with Luffy's injuries, it was barely a flesh wound. It was a testament to Luffy's incredible stamina that he recovered so quickly.

By the time of the feast, Luffy was almost back to normal. Between Nami and Vivi, there was someone by his bedside constantly. The head maid, Terracotta, went all out for the feast and in the palace's great hall there was a huge table overflowing with meat.

As Luffy limped through the doors, his mouth dropped open with drool and his eyes glowed as if he had died and gone to heaven. The pirates were instantly greeted as guests of honour, and within seconds the party really began.

It was impossible for them to do anything quietly. Usopp munched down the food so fast, and halfway through the meal he stood up on the table and started to sing. Zoro skipped most of meal and went straight the drink, and it wasn't long before he was arguing with Sanji over proper table manners. Chopper devoured everything faster than anyone would believe, and then started dancing and pretending to be a walrus using a pair of chopsticks.

Vivi spent most of the meal laughing loudly, but she kept a careful eye on Luffy. To anyone else, he was loud and boisterous, but to those who knew him, he was much more restrained than usually. Luffy tended to laugh half a second too late, and his eyes would glance nervously every time someone left the room.

Luffy devoured the meat ravenously at first, but after only his third helping, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach.

"Ah!" Chopper exclaimed loudly. "Is there a doctor anywhe– oh, wait…"

"My stomach!" Luffy shouted in shock, while being lifted back his chair by Chopper and Zoro. "It hurts! I'm… full?!"

That caused everyone to stop and stare. Their captain was usually a black hole for food, particularly meat. "Luffy's full?" Usopp yelled. "But that's impossible!"

"It's his Devil fruit," Nami realised slowly. "He's not a Rubber-man; his stomach can't stretch as much as it used to. He can't eat as much…"

That seemed to shock Luffy more than anything. "I can't eat!?" He screamed loudly. "But… But… How am I meant to have a party without meat?"

Zoro seemed to consider the question seriously. "Alcohol," Zoro said definitely, after a few seconds. "Lots and lots of alcohol."

For once, Sanji agreed without argument. At the king's command, Terracotta unloaded huge barrels of ale. Both Zoro and Nami took a barrel for themselves, and after a moment's hesitation, Luffy joined in. He had never had much of a taste for ale before, but now it seemed like he needed it.

The party started again with a vengeance. The guards all joined in, and it wasn't long before the empty barrels started to pile up. The ale seemed to dissolve all the tension, and the laughter and music flowed freely.

Vivi hesitated before she picked up a tankard. She had never really enjoyed drinking, but then she glanced at Luffy, felt the twisting feeling in her stomach, and decided that she should start.

Usopp was already dancing on the table, trying to balance a pile of plates on his nose. Zoro and Nami were starting a drinking competition that seemed likely to kill the majority of the contestants. Even king Cobra, who supposedly had some dignity, had given into the jovial party.

Luffy was laughing and drinking with the best of them, but Vivi thought she could glimpse a strange distance in his eyes. Even as he was laughing, he was staring almost wistfully around him, as if he was taking in everything that he had come so close to losing…

* * *

Hours later, everything was already dying down. There had been far too much ale involved for anybody to remain conscious for very long.

The Palace Guards had collapsed in a pile. Igaram and Chaka were both down for the count, and currently cuddling each other unknowingly in their sleep. King Cobra had retired to his chambers with what little dignity he had left, while Terracotta had took one glance at the mess and then went home for the night.

The majority of the Straw Hats were unconscious too. Chopper had proven himself a lightweight and snoozed off quickly. Sanji had fell unconscious in the arms of two beautiful girls – no one was quite sure where the girls had come from, but Sanji just seemed to mysteriously attract them. Even the heavy-drinker Zoro had blacked out, surrounded by a small pile of empty barrels.

Nami was one of the last few still capable of walking. It was a testimony to her unnatural resistance to alcohol that she was, more or less, still sober. The navigator stretched out like a cat, looking over the pile of sleeping bodies, and started wondering vaguely whether she should pull Zoro and Sanji next to each other so that it looked like they were cuddling. Admittedly, they would both probably murder each other when they woke, but it might just be worth it for the pictures.

She was still deliberating when Nami glanced movement outside of the hall. She quietly crept around the snoozing Usopp and headed towards the balcony. Outside, Luffy was sitting on the railings, unusually subdued, and staring quietly into space.

She was surprised he was still awake. _Then again_, Nami realised suddenly, _Luffy hadn't been as hyper as he normally was_…

"Luffy?" She called out gently. The captain looked up in surprise. "Are you alright?"

Luffy smiled, somewhat glassy. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just…" His voice trailed off slightly.

Without his hat, he looked like a completely different person. It was the first time that Nami had seen Luffy so gloomy – it wasn't a natural look on him.

An awkward silence fell over the pair. Finally, Nami had to do something.

"I've got something for you." She admitted, pulling something out of her back pocket. "I was going to give it to you after the party. It's all I could find, but I thought you would want to have it…"

She held out a tattered pile of straw, barely enough for a handful. It had taken her hours to track down even this much of the old straw hat, but Nami had had plenty of time while Luffy was still recovering. Nami had vaguely hoped that she could find enough straw to repair the hat, but it was hardly anything.

Luffy stared at the pile of straw with faint surprise. Nami shifted uncomfortably. She knew how much that hat meant to him. "I know it's not much," she admitted. "And that hat was your treasure…"

He didn't respond. "I saw a hat seller in the marketplace," she continued uncomfortably. "So maybe we could… well, I just want to give you your treasure back…"

Luffy glanced at her, before speaking quietly. "I was wrong," he muttered. "The hat wasn't my treasure…"

A silence dropped over Nami, leaving her speechless. Luffy continued slowly. "When I… when I lost, I realised that I cared much more about my friends than about my hat," he admitted, stuttering slightly. "I was so angry when I thought that you were… I didn't even think about my hat."

Luffy took the handful of straw off her, but he didn't even glance at it. "It was my fault. I lost, and everyone nearly died because of it. That's when I realised that I love my friends more than a hat. I would shred that hat myself just to keep you safe. My crew, my _friends_, are my treasure. I won't let anything happen to any of you ever again."

Suddenly, Luffy hugged Nami again, this time very gently. Nami was instantly self-conscious, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The hug lasted nearly half a minute, but neither of them wanted it to end.

When Luffy spoke again, there was steel in his voice. "I _promise_." He said with quiet determination, letting go of her. "I will get _stronger_. I will never let anyone hurt you ever again."

With that, he started to walk away slowly. Nami was left utterly speechless, trying to figure out what had just happened. Unconsciously, she started to blush faintly as Luffy walked away.

Nami stood there a long time, trying to figure out her own feelings for Luffy

Unbeknown to both of them, Vivi was quietly hiding behind a nearby column, listening intently.

* * *

It was well past midnight, and in fact closer to morning, by the time Luffy staggered back to his room. The rest of his crew were still sleeping in the great hall, but Luffy was in no mood to go to sleep.

No matter how much he tried to tell himself that the fight was over and that everything was normal, he just couldn't believe it. Crocodile had been his first taste of Grand Line level, and he had lost. As he was, he was strong enough to protect his friends, and that was unacceptable.

He had to get stronger.

Luffy knew that everything had changed. No matter how much he wanted to go back to the way things were, he just couldn't. Suddenly, he had gained a new perspective on everything, it was impossible to close his eyes again.

With vague dread, Luffy realised that he was now… _different_. It was an uncomfortable and unwelcome thought.

Just as the pirate pushed open the door to his room, he realised that there was someone already in there. Vivi was sitting on his bed, with a half-empty bottle of wine in her hand.

"Luffy!" The princess exclaimed loudly, before suddenly erupting into a fit of giggling.

"Vivi?" Luffy asked with confusion. "What are you doing here?"

She pulled herself up uncertainly. "Oh, you know…" Vivi started, and then she belched loudly, causing another fit of giggles.

Luffy was puzzled now. "Are you… drunk?" He asked finally. Vivi was normally so quiet and composed; he had never seen her like this before.

"Little bit," Vivi admitted happily, trying to take a step. She wobbled dangerously, and Luffy had to jump forward just to catch her.

The pirate captain was completely out of his depth now, and he never had a clue what to do. "…Ok…" Luffy hesitated, before remembering what Zoro did when he was drunk. "You take my bed – try to sleep it off."

Vivi shook her head vigorously. "No," she said firmly. "I have to be drunk."

Luffy frowned. "Why?"

"Because otherwise…" She paused. "…I would never be brave enough to do this."

Without warning, Vivi pressed her lips towards Luffy's. Luffy's mouth dropped open in shock, and then the princess' tongue was next to his.

Luffy's heart froze for so long he was slightly afraid he would die again. He didn't know what to do or how to react, but, for some reason, he really didn't want Vivi to stop.

She tasted like grapes.

It lasted about ten seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Slowly, Vivi pulled away from him, staring straight into his eyes. Her breathing was deep and slow. So was his.

Vivi started to blush wildly, and then she stepped backwards with fluster. Luffy tried to say something (he wasn't sure what), but his tongue wasn't working properly. As a matter of fact, nothing was working properly. Luffy stood completely still, as if he had just been hit by a bombshell. He was blinking a lot.

Without another word, Vivi quickly ran out the room, stumbling slightly as the door slammed behind her.

Luffy stood completely motionless for a very long time, feeling more confused than ever.

* * *

_This is a mistake_, Nico Robin thought to herself, for the hundredth time that morning.

The sun was just rising over the horizon, highlighting the desert in an orange glow. Robin had been forced to travel fast and hard, before the marines finally tried to capture her and before people came looking for revenge against the actions of Baroque Works.

The country was in turmoil. For every man who was rejoicing that the rebellion was over and the rains had come, there was another man who was furious that the king had murdered and framed "Sir" Crocodile for the crimes of Royal Family. Perhaps in time the full misdeeds of Crocodile would be revealed and accepted by all, but for now Crocodile was being portrayed as a martyr by the citizens that were still very unhappy with King Cobra.

Soon, the World Government would act. One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea had been murdered, and there would be consequences. Monkey D. Luffy and his crew were responsible, and they had just had a target the size of Mariejois painted onto their backs.

If Robin had any sense, she would get as far away from the pirates as soon as possible.

Still, she knew she couldn't do that. She had been repeating the words of Jaguar D. Saul to herself all day, and somehow she knew that she couldn't get away from this. This wasn't a problem she could run from, or even fight.

Monkey D. Luffy had gotten under her skin.

With a gentle sigh, Robin continued to walk towards the coast, and it wasn't long before she saw the outline of a small ship, anchored a small distance away from the ruins of Erumalu. Carefully, she pulled herself up on to the caravel, before she cracked her knuckles and got to work.

Dozens of hands sprouted out from the wood across the deck. The anchor was pulled up from the shore, and the sails were unfurled while the masts twisted around with the wind. Slowly, as the hull scraped against the sand, the ship pulled away from the shallow waters of the beach.

Nico Robin stood by the rudder, and nodded with satisfaction as the hands disappeared in a bloom of petals. As she tacked around and started sailing up the Sandora River, Robin realised that the Going Merry was actually quite a good little ship.

Casually, Robin started to explore her new ship. After a few minutes, she found a Transponder Snail, and placed it on the table as she poured herself a cup of tea.

After a dozen rings, the snail was answered.

"Who's this?" A weary voice snapped irritably. It was a man's voice, and he sounded hung-over.

"Good evening, Mr. Swordsman," Robin replied pleasantly. "My name is Nico Robin. You may know me better as 'Miss All Sunday', and I've just stolen your ship."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Alternate title for this chapter: How Luffy got his second kiss.**

**Sorry there wasn't much action in this chapter, but there's a great big dollop of romance to make up for it. This chapter fills out a couple of edges of the love… **_**shape**_**… that I've got planned.**

**Thank you very much for all the support!**


	5. Chapter 5: The World Begins to Shift

**Nine Minutes**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but I do have a plan to steal the rights from Eiichiro Oda. For legal reasons, I won't go into details; but if you here about the manga artist being kidnapped and blackmailed by a group of trained orang-utans in the next few weeks, then I may or may not be responsible. **

* * *

_**Previously: **_

_**Luffy is nearly killed by Crocodile, but only just manages to kill the Warlord. He vows to become stronger, while at night he and Vivi share a drunken kiss.**_

* * *

**Chapter 5: The World Begins to Shift**

With a gentle sigh, Vivi relaxed in the baths of the palace as the warm water eased her throbbing head. The baths were made from smooth marble and surrounded by exotic carvings and intricate statues, all the while the water flowed across every surface. Huge furnaces heated the water, filling the room with refreshing steam. It made Vivi feel more relaxed than she had in months.

Ever since the rain, there was more water than the kingdom could store. For the first time in three years, the luxurious palace baths were opened up again. After the party last night, both Vivi and Nami had went for an early morning bath to cure their raw hangovers.

Nami rested across from Vivi, leaning back and enjoying the sauna. Even in the privacy of the palace baths, surrounded by thick walls and guards, the princess was wrapped firmly up in a towel, soaking her feet in the shallow water. Nami had no such reservations and she sat completely naked, her legs crossed while she closed her eyes with relaxation.

"This feels so good," Nami sighed contently. "I wonder if there's a ship somewhere equipped with a sauna…"

Vivi smiled but didn't respond. Vivi never had any siblings, but the princess loved Nami like a sister. They had become best friends throughout her time with the pirates, and Vivi honestly never wanted anything to ever change between them.

Still, there was a knot in her stomach that no amount of relaxation could ease. For all the memories of last night were blurry, there were two things that Vivi could never forget. She could clear visualise the scene of Luffy and Nami standing close to each other outside the balcony, and she would never forget every single aspect as she put her lips Luffy's.

_How will Luffy react when I see him today?_ Vivi thought to herself. _How will I react?_

It had been one of the most impulsive things Vivi had ever done. She had goose bumps just thinking about it. Her heart had been cartwheeling for hours afterwards. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in the room with Luffy, and the taste on her lips had never faded. It had been her first kiss, and it was nothing how she had expected.

_How will Nami react when she finds out that we kissed?_

Vivi had spent just as much time thinking about the scene she witnessed between Nami and Luffy. It felt intimate, and Vivi could feel the tension in the air. Maybe Luffy hadn't realised how intimate it had been, but Nami must have done.

Suddenly, Vivi was looking at Nami and wondering just what she felt for Luffy. The two of them had known each other much longer, and their history ran deeper. Vivi's and Nami's sisterly bond was tainted by jealously and suspicion. Vivi hated the idea that something might come between her relationship with Nami. She hated herself for thinking like that. But she just couldn't help it.

Nami must have noticed Vivi's expression. "Are you alright?" Nami asked gently, looking at Vivi with concern.

"I'm fine," Vivi replied, but her voice wavered. "It's just that… I…"

Her voice trailed off into nothing. Nami nodded with understanding. "I think I know," she said softly. She moved closer to Vivi. "…We're thinking of leaving here today. We're pirates; we can't stay in the palace for very long."

Vivi's eyes widened in surprise. "Today?" She choked. "So soon? But–"

"We don't have any reason to stay here anymore since Luffy has recovered," Nami explained. "And the Marines will be guarding the coast – our ship is in danger. We have to leave."

The princess gulped. She had been too preoccupied to think about it, but she should have known it was coming. "I… I see."

Nami looked at her seriously. "You know that you would be welcome to join us," she said finally. "You always have a place with us."

Vivi didn't respond. She just looked at Nami, and kept on thinking about her relationship with Nami. The orange-haired woman was slender and beautiful. Her body was lean and muscled. Vivi glanced down at Nami's breasts, large and plump, and she couldn't help feel incredibly self-conscious. Nami was always so outgoing, so confident and passionate. Vivi was too shy and reserved.

If Vivi had to compete romantically with Nami, she didn't think she would win.

"I'm the princess," Vivi said simply. She had duties and responsibility in Alabasta. Vivi couldn't just abandon everything.

"I know," Nami said sympathetically, before drawing Vivi into a warm hug. Vivi felt herself shiver as the woman's body pressed against hers.

"No pressure," Nami continued. "But the offer is there."

The rest of their time in the bath was silent. Both girls had a lot to think about, and they weren't particularly comfortable with what they were thinking.

Vivi loved Nami like a sister, but she couldn't deny what she was feeling for Luffy either.

Eventually, they stood up, got dressed, and walked out of their palace. Nami never said a word, but she walked comfortably close to Vivi at all times. It was still very early, and the morning sun was just rising over the exotic spires of the palace.

As they walked towards the quarters, there were sounds of a large crowd gathering. Maids and guards were rushing to the courtyard, and it looked like an event was happening. Curious, Nami rushed to the front with Vivi trailing behind nervously, and looked down into the courtyard at what everyone was staring at.

Luffy was in the level below, but he didn't even seem to notice the crowd watching him. He was lying on his back in the sand, and busy lifting a block of solid granite larger than a house over his head. Every muscle and sinew bulged out of his lean body, and the sweat poured of his shirtless chest. The stone block must have weighed tonnes, but Luffy just continued lift the weight up and down.

His muscles were rippling, and Vivi could see the strain each time he lifted his arms up. He was panting heavily and grunting with effort, but he kept on weightlifting relentlessly.

Vivi was shocked. Zoro would usually train like a monster, but now Luffy was making Zoro's regime seem like a light workout. It was the first time she had actually seen Luffy work so hard – he used to be too carefree for exercise.

Igaram quietly moved next to Vivi. The guard captain was staring down at Luffy's unyielding workout silently.

"How long has he been here?" Vivi asked finally. It took everything Luffy had each time he lifted the weight, but he never even paused. Vivi could feel the pain and determination emitting from the pirate.

"All night," Igaram explained. "I thought he would give up after the first few hours. It's been nine hours straight so far."

_There's nothing more important to him than his friends_, Vivi thought slowly, _he's trying so hard to get stronger for us_…

Vivi watched for a long time. Gradually, the other pirates woke up and came out to stay at Luffy's unrelenting workout. Despite a severe hangover, was Zoro staring at Luffy's weights with vague admiration. Even without his rubber powers, Luffy still had superhuman and absolutely monstrous strength.

_How strong could he actually become with the right motivation?_ Vivi wondered to herself.

Beside her, Nami was draped over the balcony and looking downwards, her stare completely unwavering. She was focused on Luffy's chest, Vivi realised. For all Luffy was skinny, his muscles were well toned with marvellously sculpted abs, particularly as they flexed and bulged from exertion.

Vivi glanced between Luffy and Nami uncertainly, before she felt a steely determination rise in her heart. It was the same determination that she had felt as she eloped to infiltrate Baroque Works. It was what had driven her to risk everything to save her country.

This was something that she couldn't run from. She had to fight for this.

Slowly, Vivi walked away from the courtyard, and headed straight for the palace throne room. Inside, her father, the king, was already meeting with merchants and dignitaries, but Vivi waited patiently until it was over.

Finally, as the last visitor left the throne room, Vivi and her father were alone in the large hall.

"What is it, Vivi?" King Cobra asked finally, but there was a glint of reluctance in his eyes. He was a clever man, after all. Perhaps he had been expecting this visit.

Vivi hesitated slightly, but her voice was steady. "Dad… would you hate me if I did something really selfish?"

* * *

By noon, the sun was high in the sky and desert kingdom became blisteringly hot. You could fry an egg on the stones of the palace, and the country ground to a halt for a few hours as it became too hot to work.

Still, Luffy kept on lifting that solid block of granite. The sweat pooled around him, and he was filthy and tired. His muscles were screaming and the pain was agony, but he had too much at stake to give up. The words "_I will become stronger"_ resonated through his mind with every push.

The crowd watching him faded away slowly as the sun became hotter. By midday, he was alone again in the courtyard, continuing to lift the huge granite stone. Luffy had never been one for counting, but he vaguely figured that he must be in the high triple digits by now.

Eventually, a figure walked into the courtyard and sat down next to Luffy in the sand, waiting patiently. Luffy glanced to the side, before finally dropping the heavy rock to the ground. It collided with a heavy thud even as it sunk into the sand.

King Cobra was staring at Luffy seriously. There had been a mutual respect between the two of them, ever since the events in the Royal Tombs, but now the mood was grim.

"My daughter just talked to me," the king said finally. "She wants to join your crew. I trust her too much to stand in her way."

A huge grin broke over Luffy's face. "She's coming with us?" He exclaimed happily. "That's great!"

The king didn't respond straight away. A flash of darkness flickered over his face. "If you hurt her," he warned. "I will kill you."

Luffy hesitated. His mind flashed back to the previous night, and a drunken kiss that had left him stunned.

"I will never hurt her," Luffy said firmly. "I promise."

* * *

_On the eastern coast of Alabasta…_

The convoy of Marines walked through the white stone buildings slowly, heading straight for the port where half a dozen Marine battleships were being readied for combat.

Tashigi was nervous as she met up with her captain for the first time in a week. The lieutenant had heard reports about Smoker's success in capturing the Baroque Works ships, but it had taken her a long time to clean up the mess in Aluburna. Too many men under her command had been injured or killed, and the situation between her and her men was quickly turning sour.

By the time Tashigi was capable of reporting in to the port town of Tamarisk, it was already nearly a week after the death of Crocodile, and the Marines were starting to act. The early reports had been uncertain and messy and the response had been unorganised, but finally the orders were rolling again.

Captain 'Black Cage' Hina from section 3 had already met up with Captain Smoker, and the mood was grim as Tashigi reported for duty.

"Tashigi, nice to see you," Hina greeted politely, while her men stood to attention. Hina was tall and slim with pink blond hair and a very attractive figure. Tashigi had always got on well with the older woman.

Captain Smoker was sitting on the gangway of the battleship, looking intently at his subordinate with a frown. He was broadly built with a grim disposition, but now he looked tired with dark rings under his eyes. He was smoking even more cigars than usual.

"Captain Hina," Tashigi greeted in return, before turning to Smoker. "Captain Smoker; I've returned from Aluburna."

The captain nodded slightly. "Do you think you did good work there?"

There was an edge to his question. Tashigi hesitated. It had not gone as planned, and she wouldn't call it a success. "I think I did the best I could have done, under the circumstances," Tashigi said finally.

"Has Crocodile been confirmed dead?" Smoker demanded.

Tashigi nodded. "Yes – I saw the body myself."

The captain blew a large plume of smoke. "A pity."

The short statement shocked Tashigi. "A pity? But Crocodile tried to destroy the entire country!" she demanded. "He tried to kill everyone!"

A dark glance crossed Smoker's face. "I wanted him arrested, not dead," Smoker growled. "The Marines will not prosecute a dead man."

Tashigi looked confused, but the captain just continued. "It has already been decided," he admitted reluctantly. "The higher-ups say that there is no benefit in linking Baroque Works to Crocodile. As far as anyone is willing to accept, Crocodile was nothing more than a Warlord – a government official – fulfilling his assigned duties before he was murdered in cold blood by known pirates. It's a much _easier_ story to swallow." He spat that last statement out foully.

"But that means…" Tashigi said, shocked.

"Aye," Smoker nodded grimly. "It means a ton of bricks are going to come down now, and we are all in the crapper."

Slowly, Smoker reached into his jacket and pulled out a small pile of papers, throwing them at Tashigi. Four bounty posters landed at Tashigi's feet.

"Fresh off the presses," Smoker continued. Next to Tashigi, Hina was watching with an unreadable expression. "They need _someone_ to blame, and now there's only one group left alive to pin it all on."

Tashigi looked down at the posters, recognising all the photos. A picture of 'Straw Hat' Luffy was grinning brightly; wanted dead or alive for 200 million Beli. A picture of 'Black Leg' Sanji was smoking a cigarette coolly in front of the palace; wanted dead or alive for 40 million Beli. A picture of 'Cat Burglar' Nami, caught while running through a warzone; wanted dead or alive for 10 million Beli.

'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro, frowning while surrounded by a sandstorm, was wanted dead or alive for 80 million Beli.

Tashigi heart did backflips as she looked at Zoro's bounty, but she forced herself to remain focused.

"…200 million?" Tashigi stammered finally, finding the words. There were very few bounties so high in the Grand Line, and a jump from 30 million to 200 million was unprecedented.

"It makes them every feel so much better to have someone to vilify," he explained bitterly. "As far as the official story is concerned, Monkey D. Luffy is a pirate who attempted to overthrow the Alabasta government and plunder the capital. Sir Crocodile is the "noble" Warlord who attempted to stop him, and was "unfortunately" murdered for his efforts. All of Crocodile's crimes have been pinned firmly on Luffy, and anyone who says otherwise is going to have a very short career."

Tashigi shook her head in shock. "But that's wrong! Why should–"

"Of course it's wrong!" Smoker snapped. The situation didn't sit right with him either, but he was more pragmatic. "But a pirate is a pirate. Do you really want to lose your career protecting the _reputation_ of a wanted criminal?"

Tashigi stammered for a response, but found none. The captain wasn't done. "We have bigger concerns right now," he continued coldly. "This whole _mess_ happened right under our noses and the big jobs aren't happy. We're both being court-martialled, Tashigi."

That knocked the wind right out Tashigi. Her head was already spinning. "Why?" she choked.

"You're being court-martialled because you were meant to be in charge of the situation in Aluburna, and I'm being court-martialled for letting you be in charge." The captain took a very long puff of his cigars, trying to calm himself down. "Like I said; everyone's happier if there's someone to blame. This whole shit-storm could turn out really bad for both of us unless we get in front of it."

The captain pointed to Hina reluctantly. "For the foreseeable future, we've teamed up with Captain Hina of section 3. The only way to save ourselves now is to be the ones to hand over 'Straw Hat' Luffy. We're going after the pirates again, Tashigi, and this time we can't afford to let them get away."

"Hina's men are ready to go," Hina added coolly. She had a weird habit of speak in the third person, Tashigi recalled vaguely, but right now that was the least of her worries. "Go get yourself cleaned up and rested, lieutenant. We're moving out shortly."

"And what about the pirates?" Tashigi asked hesitantly, glancing down at the wanted posters again.

"Nothing can save them now," Hina replied simply. "We've received reports that they're being sheltered in Aluburna. Men are already on their way to force them out, and we're going to cut them off at the mouth of the Sandora River."

"We've got a time limit here too," Smoker added, even as Tashigi passed him walking up the gangway. "200 million is the type of money that attracts attention. They're sending a Vice Admiral down here to capture the Straw Hats themselves. If we want to keep our jobs, we're going to have to do it first."

_This is wrong_, Tashigi thought to herself, her face twisted in anger. Still, there was nothing to be said. She was a Marine, she had to follow orders. She thought back to the battle, where she had deliberately saved the lives of the pirates and dug them out of the ground herself. That had been the right thing to do, she was certain of that, but she didn't dare mention it aloud. They were already in a difficult enough situation.

"One more thing, captain," Tashigi called, not even turning around. Her voice was unusually cold. Smoker didn't visibly respond. "I heard that Monkey D. Luffy's straw hat was destroyed in the battle."

Smoker paused for a few seconds. "Really?" He mused. Pirate identification was important, after all. "Pass that along to HQ. I suppose they'll have to think of a new name for him…"

* * *

_In the palace…_

Everything was quickly becoming chaotic, and as soon as Zoro had received Robin's call the pirates were readying to move. Then the reports from the guard's came in, and apparently a large force of Marines were storming through the city.

"Damn that woman!" Zoro growled loudly. "She stole our ship!"

"At least the Marines haven't confiscated it…" Nami reasoned, while shoving maps into a hastily packed bag. They didn't have long before they had to leave.

"No one should have it! It's _our_ ship!" Zoro snapped.

"It's alright," Luffy said firmly, in a voice that left no room for doubt. His muscles were aching from his severe workout all day, and his wounds still weren't healed fully, but he was still revving to go. "Robin is a good person. We can trust her."

Nami gave a weird look at the conviction in his voice, but said nothing. Around them, the palace guards were quickly running to the entrance, and suddenly the head guards Chaka and Igaram were bursting through the door.

"You've got to leave right now!" Chaka said urgently. "The Marines are coming with a warrant and we can't afford to openly oppose them. My men are trying to slow them down now, but they're intent on searching the whole palace!"

Igaram shook his head in dismay. "I'm sorry," he apologised, clearing his throat as he talked. "You don't deserve this, but our control is tenuous at best. If it was discovered we were harbouring pirates…"

"You don't have to apologise," Sanji replied coolly, lighting a cigarette. "We're pirates – this is how it's meant to go."

"I've arranged the Super Spot-Billed Duck Squad to transport you to the river," Chaka explained. "But after that our aid has to end. There's a lot of heat coming down on you now."

"Let them come," Luffy replied firmly. He glanced down at the four bounty posters which had arrived this evening. He knew what he had to protect now. "I won't let anyone thing happen to my crew."

There was pure steel in his voice, and Nami felt his certainty wash over. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Luffy would fight to the end for them, but she still wasn't able to describe what she felt for her captain.

Chopper and Usopp burst through the door, carrying medicine and supplies in full bags. Sanji had already packed the food, and Nami was finishing up with the maps.

"We're ready to go!" She proclaimed suddenly.

Chaka glanced out the window. "The Marines are getting into position. You might have to fight your way out."

Luffy cracked his knuckles. He now had two large and very sharp knives tucked into his shorts. Nobody had dared to ask about those.

"Good," the captain said darkly.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, Vivi ran quickly towards their quarters. She was carrying a packed bag too.

"I'm coming with you!" The princess proclaimed loudly. "I've already readied Carue, and everything's packed!"

Despite the urgency, the happiness broke over the pirates. Nami grinned madly and rushed over to hug her tightly, while Sanji was already spinning with join. Luffy's smile stretched across his face, but he still wasn't sure how to treat Vivi after last night.

Meanwhile, Igaram was left flabbergasted. His eyes nearly burst out his head with shock, and his mouth opened and closed helpless. "Princess!" He exclaimed finally. "You can't! If you become a pirate then you –"

"Then I can't be a princess anymore," Vivi finished. Her voice was laced with regret, but her eyes shone with determination. "I know, and I am _so_ sorry. I've got to do this, Igaram, _please_."

The tall man hesitated, but Vivi's tone left no room for doubt. This was too important for her, and he couldn't stand in her way. "Then I'm going with you!" He decided finally. Next to him, Chaka nearly exploded with shock. "I promised I'll keep you safe, and I'm not going to abandon you!"

Vivi shook her head firmly. "You can't. If I leave, then the princess has simply ran away and abdicated her position. If the head guard becomes a pirate, then Alabasta has officially supported piracy. You can't do that to the country."

"But–"

"She said no, Igaram." King Cobra ordered firmly in his most regal tone, stepping into the room. He was far from happy about this, but he couldn't stand in his daughter's way. It was a father's duty to be supportive to the end. "Your king commands you. _Stand down_."

The head guard looked like he might protest, but there was no arguing with the monarch's tone. Cobra glanced down at his daughter, and his expression softened. Suddenly, the king had to fight back tears.

"Vivi," Cobra said gently, speaking as a father not as king. "Could you please come with me? It's important."

Vivi gulped and took her father's hand. Nami was glancing out the window hesitantly. "We don't have long!" The navigator warned.

The princess glanced at her father's eyes, and then back to her friends. "I'll be right back!" She promised.

The king and the princess started to run down the corridor, with Cobra leading the way. Around them, the palace was exploding with chaos. Heavy footsteps were vibrating throughout the palace, and the palace staff were scrambling around them, running for cover.

"I wish I had more time," Cobra panted, leading them down an intricate spiral staircase. "I wish I could talk to you about this. I wish I could try and convince you otherwise. I've only just got you back, and I really don't want you to go again."

Vivi was trying to fight back tears now. "I have to do this, Dad," she said softly.

"I know," he replied. "But just remember; I will always love and support you. You are my daughter, and I love you too much to stand in your way."

She smiled, even as they were sprinting towards the bottom of the palace. "I love you too."

He looked at her with concern. "If you become a known pirate," he warned, but gently. "Then you might not ever be able to come back here. You can't be a princess and a pirate. Are you _sure_ about this?"

Vivi nodded. Suddenly she was crying too much to talk. If she opened her mouth, she risked breaking down completely.

Cobra sighed. "Then I'll support you," he promised. "And just because I can't go with you, doesn't mean I'm going to let you go _defenceless_."

They were reaching the basement now; a part of the palace that few even knew existed. Cobra was sprinting down a long and very secure corridor, leading up towards a heavy metal door secured with numerous locks; the Royal Treasury.

Vivi had no idea why they were here, but Cobra lead the way. The king was already pulling a heavy key of a chain around his neck, and started unlocking the bolts around the vault.

"Have you ever wondered," he explained, almost conversationally, while hurriedly unlocking the vault. "Why Chaka and Pell both have such similar Devil fruit powers? It's no coincidence that it's the _strongest_ soldiers in a country that have Devil fruit abilities."

The final lock clicked open. It took both him and Vivi to heave the heavy door open. "A country needs a standing army to deal with civil unrest, but ordinary soldiers can't compare against a superhuman." The king slammed the door open with a large grunt. "That is why the strongest and most loyal soldiers in a country are trained to superhuman level, and then the country invests – at great cost – in Devil fruits so that these elite soldiers can defend them against superhuman threats."

Finally, the huge door was pulled open, revealing a spacious room covered with gold and stacks of money. The treasury of Alabasta. The wealth of the country.

"This is why most countries have a few, very elite, Devil fruit users," the king panted. "And if one of these valuable soldiers dies, then the country needs another Devil fruit so that another can replace them and maintain the balance."

Vivi was left speechless. At the front of the treasury, standing on a pedestal, was an orange fruit vaguely looking like a banana and covered in swirls. Even at this distance, Vivi could feel unnatural aura surrounding the fruit.

"I bought this from the black market, and it was _extremely_ expensive," the king admitted. "But Devil fruits are always a worthwhile investment. I don't know what power it holds – the greatest disadvantage with Devil fruits is the uncertainty with them. Still, it is practically guaranteed to make you stronger."

Vivi stammered hesitantly, "But I… I can't…"

"I told you," the king said firmly, picking up the Devil fruit and forcing it in her hands. "I refuse to let you go defenceless."

He looked at her seriously. "It is a father's job to protect his daughter. I want you to eat this fruit, and I want you to be safe."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**This chapter was an absolute nightmare to write, and I really hope that I wrote it well enough. Please let me know how I did.**

**The changes from the canon should be becoming more apparent. Vivi joins the crew this time, and relationships are changing. There are major battles against the Marines coming up, and big characters might appear a little bit sooner…**

**Also 'Straw Hat' Luffy is going to need a new epithet…**

**Next chapter: "Escape from the Desert Kingdom".**


	6. Chapter 6: Escape from the Desert

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still do not own One Piece, but I'm working on it.**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_**After a near-defeat in Alabasta, the Marines come down hard on the pirates. Vivi joins the crew just as they are forced to flee the capital, and Vivi's father entrusts her with a Devil fruit to keep her safe. Robin has taken the Going Merry up the river, while Captain Smoker joins forces with Captain Hina to capture Luffy and his crew.**_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Escape from the Desert Kingdom**

* * *

"Run!" Usopp screamed loudly, right as the marines started to open fire at them.

The marines had been well prepared. Cannons were established surrounding the palace, and dozens of men with rifles were busying manning them. Within seconds of the pirates bursting out of the palace, men in white uniforms had flocked to them and the bullets started to fly.

A huge bloom of sand exploded in front of them from a nearby cannonball, but the Super Spot-Billed Duck Squad was the fastest for a reason. The huge birds barely even touched the ground as raced across the sand, surprisingly light-footed for animals so big.

Behind them, the palace was erupting into chaos. From the corner of his eye, Luffy glimpsed Chaka being confronted by several angry marines, while trying to feign his best '_Pirates? Where did they come from?_' expression.

The booms of the cannons were like drums resonating through the night. Between the shouting and the gunfire, the normally serene desert vibrated with so much sound it was impossible to hear a thing. Clouds of sand exploded around them, covering everything in dust.

"Vivi!" Luffy shouted loudly, squinting through the sand clouds. "Are you alright?"

"Here!" The girl shouted in response, coughing from the sand. Vivi was riding on Carue, and rapidly catching up from behind. The leader of the Duck Squad was cowardly and spineless, but nothing was faster at running away than Carue. Not even Usopp.

"We've got problems!" Sanji called loudly, riding at the front of the group on a duck with a cowboy hat and glasses. "There are more Marines up ahead!"

Zoro simply smirked, unsheathing his swords. "Not for much longer."

The Marines really had been well prepared. They'd set up another perimeter around the city in the desert, and suddenly there was a line of cannons blocking the way ahead. Zoro dug his heels into his duck, and then the duck, wearing a legionary helmet and an angry expression, responded by charging forward furiously.

The first cannon exploded with a huge boom, and the air blurred as the metal cannonball barrelled towards them in a flash of smoke. Zoro was faster. Within a blink of an eye, Zoro had drawn all three of his swords and was leaping up into the air, spinning quickly.

His sword glanced against the cannonball with almost delicately, yet the razor-sharp edge cut through the metal like it was paper. The two halves of the cannonball ricocheted harmlessly to the side. Zoro grunted in satisfaction.

"Too cool…!" Chopper exclaimed loudly, his eyes glowing with hero-worship.

"Damn marimo…" Sanji grunted, taking a deep breath of his cigarette, and then proclaiming loudly. "Nami! Vivi! I will protect you!"

Cowboy launched forward. The marine perimeter was quickly approaching, and the other cannons were loaded. Sanji flipped around on his duck, doing a handstand on Cowboy's head and spinning his strong legs around in the air. His black, polished, and heavily reinforced shoes glinted in the moonlight.

Luffy joined him quickly. He was riding a duck with a horned helmet and brown goggles, almost twice the size of all the others, but it still easily kept pace with them all. They could see a dozen cannons being aimed and loaded.

The cannons exploded loudly. Both Luffy and Sanji leapt into action. Sanji pushed himself upwards with his hands, twirling his legs around so quickly he blurred. Both feet hit firmly against two cannonballs, and the heavy metal bounds rebounded to the side with two large dents in the side.

"Luffy!" Nami called urgently. "Be careful! You're not rubber any–"

Luffy didn't seem to hear. He lunched forward, jumping straight at the metal spheres that were barrelling towards him. He drew his arm backwards in a huge arch, screaming wordlessly before he released a furious punch. Luffy's knuckles collided with solid steel in a sickening crunch.

The impact caused a small shockwave, but it was the cannon that buckled beneath Luffy's fist and accelerated backwards in a flash. The marines couldn't even flinch before their cannonball returned to them at breakneck speed. Two cannons exploded in a hail of shrapnel, sending the marines diving for cover.

Another four cannonballs were flashing through the air towards the pirates. Luffy didn't hesitate. He moved in a flash, and flickering through the air. Luffy snatched one cannonball from the air, and spun it around like a hammer throw and used it to bat another two of them into the air.

The final cannonball was heading straight for Nami, too close and too fast for her duck to dodge. Her eyes widened in shock. Sanji shouted in exclaim and tried to dive towards her, but Luffy was faster. Within a heartbeat, he was in front of Nami and kicking upwards. The cannonball launched vertically upwards.

Nami sighed in relief, even as Luffy grabbed a hold of her duck and sat down behind her. Nami's heart nearly stopped as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Who needs Devil fruits?" Luffy whispered under his breath, so quiet it was barely audible. Even so, he was cradling his wrist tenderly, and his knuckles were bleeding heavily.

Zoro led the charge against the Marine barricade. Their formation was already in shambles. The sight of a demonic Zoro flashing towards them, three blades glinting in the darkness, was enough to cause a dozen men to simultaneously lose control of their bowels.

His blades cut everything apart mercilessly. Cannons were cut in half and sent flying through the half. The barricade was shredded into scraps. The blood of marines splashed across the sands.

The seven ducks ran straight through the debris, leaving the remaining men staring helpless at trail. Usopp was at the very back of the group, laughing victoriously as he threw down a smoke bomb to hide their escape route. The pirates disappeared into a cloud of smoke, and then vanished in the darkness of the desert.

Alabasta was vast and empty. The Marines would be suicidal to try to follow them now. The Duck Squad threw up clouds of dust as they pounded across the sands easily, showing no sign of tiring.

Usopp was already laughing and bragging happily. Luffy jumped across to his duck easily, leaving Nami to try to calm her pounding heart.

Already the lights of Alubarna were fading over the horizon. They were all elated after their escape, but Vivi couldn't help but feel nervous. It had hardly been a discreet escape, and the news that the princess had left with the pirates would spread quickly.

"The Marines know which direction we're heading now," Vivi noted to the group, while the ducks were accelerating towards the Sandora River. Now that the fighting was over, Carue was taking his place at the front of the squad as the leader.

"They always did," Nami sighed. "Our ship is in the Sandora River. All they have to do is to barricade off the mouth of the river, and we have no choice except to fight our way out. We're not free yet…"

Vivi nodded hesitantly. Vivi's new Devil fruit was securely and secretly tucked away in Carue's saddlebacks. She hadn't been confident enough to eat it yet.

"We can break through," Zoro assured confidently. "They've tried to capture us before."

Nami glanced downwards at Luffy's new wanted poster. She had been staring at it a lot. "Yes… but now they have 200 million reasons to try harder…"

* * *

"Captain Smoker!" Tashigi called loudly, putting down a transponder snail. "There's news from the raid team! The pirates have escaped Aluburna."

There was no shock or disappointment from the captain. He simply nodded. "We knew they wouldn't be able to," he confirmed. "But it doesn't matter. So long as they've left the city, they got to come through here."

He stood at the prow of the battleship, overlooking the rushing waters of the Sandora River. The Going Merry had last been seen sailing upriver, and the captain was unwilling to pursue it and risk something slipping past. Instead, along with eight ships from section 3, they had barricaded the river and were preparing for battle. The pirates would have to attack quickly; otherwise the noose would just gradually tighten as reinforcements arrived.

Smoker was looking grimly up the river, his expression completely focused. Tashigi had seen that look before; it was one of utter determination to a cause. The captain would not allow the pirates to escape this time.

"There were seven," Smoker said finally, counting them up in his head and speaking mostly to himself. "Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro may well be the most dangerous. There is also the chef, the navigator, the sniper and doctor, but we can't assume that there would be more."

"We outnumber them a hundred to one." Tashigi noted, pointing to the assembled battleships. A large steel net was across the river, nailed in to the opposing shores so it would impossible for any ship to sneak past.

Smoker scoffed. "These aren't the sort of pirates to care much about numbers."

Smoker smoothed back his white hair absent-mindedly. "Still, they have weaknesses," he mused. "We have more cannons, the positional advantage, and the marines from section 3 are specialists at capturing pirates. When they attack, we'll shred their ship to pieces and leave them stranded. If they try to flee, we'll blow them out of the water. At no point will we allow them to reach the shore."

There were footsteps as Captain Hina crossed over the deck, staring at Smoker with annoyance. "You're taking charge already, Smoker," Hina reprimanded. "Hina will take care of Hina's men. You handle your own men."

Smoker did even turn around, or give any indication that he heard her. "You're back," he stated impassively. "Did you secure the coasts?"

Hina grunted irritably at Smoker's obnoxiousness. "Yes," she confirmed. "And we captured one of Baroque Work's agents; Bentham, aka Mr 2 Bon Kurei. He was scuttling around the shoreline; I've brought him back to the hold."

Behind her, Jango and Fullbody, two of Hina's men, were wrestling with the struggling okama. Despite being covered head to toe in iron manacles, he was still squirming like a worm and singing about the "okama way". Both Jango and Fullbody appeared at their wit's end with the cross-dresser as they tried to throw him below deck.

Smoker nodded absent-mindedly, much too focused on simulating the upcoming battle. "They'll try to charge us," he decided finally. "That's the only thing they can do. They'll charge the centre full speed and try to knock a ship out of the formation and break through."

"If they get to one of our ships; it'll go badly," Tashigi said cautiously. "Our men won't last long at close range."

Smoker took a long breath of his three cigars. He was standing at the prow of the ship, his unbuttoned and extremely muscular chest practically glinting in the sun. Hina was standing just behind him, coolly watching over her men as she pulled on her gloves. On the deck, Fullbody and Jango had finished restraining their prisoner, and had just started dancing.

"They don't need to go through our men," Smoker said finally. "They need to get through _us_."

* * *

It was early morning by the time the Duck Squad reached the river, and the Going Merry was anchored idly by the shoreline, just where Robin had promised it would be. The gangway was down and welcoming. The crew was apprehensive as they approached, but Luffy seemed completely carefree.

Nico Robin stretched idly out over one of the chair on deck, casually reading a book. She was wearing a white shirt and tight black pants, which she filled out extremely well, and barely even glanced upwards as the pirates entered.

"Ah… you're here," she greeted nonchalantly. "You're welcome, by the way."

Zoro growled. "Welcome?! You stole our ship!"

"Oi!" Sanji warned, jumping on to the deck. "Show a beautiful lady some manners!"

"I only stole it for a little while," Robin clarified, paying little attention to the arguing swordsman and chef. "Besides, I'm giving it back now."

Vivi glared at the older woman with distrust. Carue was hiding behind the princess, trembling silently. "What are you playing at?" She demanded.

"Oh, nothing," Robin smiled innocently, turning to Luffy. "But in return for giving you your ship back, you're going to let me join your crew."

Luffy didn't seem surprised. "Ok then," he agreed simply.

At once, everyone else exploded with outrage. Usopp and Chopper started shaking in fear. Nami shouted in shock. Vivi's outrage was the loudest, and most determined.

"But she's the _Vice President_ of Baroque Works!" Vivi protested at Luffy. "She tried to destroy my country! She nearly killed Igaram! She kidnapped me! She's a villain and murderer!"

Robin thought about it for half a second. "Yep, that just about summarises it," she agreed. "But if it helps, I no longer have any interest in you or your country."

Vivi looked ready to explode again, but Luffy just put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry!" Luffy flashed Vivi a big smile. "She's actually a really nice person."

At once, all of Vivi's protests faded away in her mouth. Luffy had a way of leaving her completely speechless, and he said it with such confidence there was no room for doubt.

Robin stared at Luffy curiously, but didn't say anything. The rest of the crew was inspecting Robin critically.

"Wait a minute…" Usopp said slowly, with unusual perceptiveness, glancing between Robin and Luffy. "Did something happen between the two of you?"

Luffy and Robin locked eyes for a moment. They were both thinking about that moment in the tombs. That moment where Luffy had come back to life with Robin breathing into his lungs.

That moment had been… _unique_.

Neither of them cared to explain it to the others.

"Nothing important," Luffy said finally. "Trust me; it's going to be fun having her with us."

After that, people started to relax with their newest member. Sanji demanded to know what Luffy had done to such a beautiful woman, but then proceeded to proclaim his undying love to Robin while serving her drinks. Chopper and Usopp took to Robin instantly after she displayed her powers, and she spent the next half an hour sprouting hands across the deck for the two of them to play with, all the while smiling pleasantly.

Nami was a bit more distrustful, yet that evaporated as soon as Robin put a bag of gems on to the table. Zoro glanced at her with caution, but he was not particularly unwelcoming.

The only one that was actually cold to the newest arrival was Vivi, who kept her distance at all times and stared at Robin with serious distrust. Robin took care not to notice, but maintained a cheerful façade as she greeted her new crew.

Occasionally, Robin would steal a glance towards Luffy and hope nobody noticed.

They pulled the anchor up and finally the Going Merry turned downstream. Vivi and Carue waved a tearful goodbye to the Super Spot-Billed Duck Squad, and the pirates were on their way. It was about to become a goodbye party, just before Robin mentioned a sobering statement.

"By the way…" she noted, taking a large sip of her drink. "The Marines have blockaded the river. We'll have to fight our way out."

At once, the mood became quieter. Usopp, Carue and Chopper entered coward mode like a flick of a switch.

"Marines?" Nami demanded urgently. "How many?"

"Not sure," Robin said casually. "At least half a dozen ships, I would expect. They would have had plenty of time to prepare by now. It doesn't look like we're going to escape in one piece."

Luffy shifted uncomfortably. She said that last chilling statement with a weird calmness. "Then what do you suggest?"

Robin smiled gently. "That's up to you, _Mr Captain_."

There was a moment's silence. "We fight our way out." Luffy said firmly, clenching his knuckles tightly. "Full speed; we'll attack hard."

The rest of the crew was left speechless at the sudden determination. Luffy had become a lot more serious recently…

"Hmph!" Zoro grunted with satisfaction. "It'd be boring if it was an easy escape!"

Robin's smile became a bit more sincere with that. Luffy started laughing, and at once all the tension shattered. Sanji was already rolling out a selection of sweets for the ladies, and he reluctantly allowed everyone else to have some too. The sound of laughter filled the Going Merry as it started to sail easily down the river.

"This is not that bad," Robin muttered to herself, thoughtfully watching the merriment. "Are they always this cheerful?"

Zoro stared at her with some caution. "Yeah, they're always like that."

For once, Robin smiled with genuine pleasure. "Really?" She mused.

Not even Vivi, as suspicious as she was of Robin, could resist when the party really got underway. Usopp was already flapping around on Carue's head and telling everyone how he had single-handedly defeated Baroque Works, while Chopper and Luffy were playing around the ship. Vivi sat by Nami, watching her tease Sanji into supplying more food.

Eventually, the growing worry in the back of Vivi's mind became too large to ignore, and she glanced at Luffy hesitantly. Finally, she called over the captain while pulling something out of her bag.

"Luffy!" Vivi shouted, holding up the orange Devil fruit hesitantly. "I… I have something I want you to have…"

Luffy stopped and stared at the object in her hand. Nami turned and gasped. "Is that…?" She exclaimed.

The Devil fruit seemed to emit an unnatural aura. Everybody stared at it curiously. Vivi nodded. "Yes. My father gave it to me before we left."

Nami's eyes glinted happily. "But that's worth a lot of money!" She exclaimed brightly. "We could sell it for a hundred million, easy!"

The princess shook her head. "No," she insisted. "I want Luffy to have it. He lost his powers fighting for me; I want to give him something back."

Luffy was left speechless for a while. "What happened to the Gum Gum fruit?" He asked finally, in a quiet voice.

She hesitated. "I'm not sure," Vivi admitted. "I asked around a lot about it in Alubarna. Apparently, when a Devil fruit reincarnates, the power is sometimes trapped in a nearby fruit of a similar type. But if there are no fruits of the sort nearby, then that power could end up absolutely anywhere in the world," she explained. "I searched the city for any weird fruits after the battle, but I never found anything. It was in a desert, so it's unlikely that the Gum Gum fruit ended up anywhere in Alabasta."

Luffy scratched his head in confusion. Nami sighed and added, "So we'll probably never even see the Gum Gum fruit again, right?"

Vivi agreed, while Chopper was inspecting the Devil fruit with medical curiosity. Usopp looked at it with interest, before asking, "What power is in this fruit?"

She shrugged uncertainly, and Robin spoke up quietly, "It's hard to tell," she explained. "Some fruits have markings and auras that are identified, but most are completely unknown. Generally, known Devil fruits are worth much more than unidentified Devil fruits, as there are a very large range of powers available."

The older woman scratched her chin as she looked at the fruit thoughtfully. "It's possible that that fruit contains a power so incredible it could change the world. It's equally possible, however, that the fruit contains a power so obscure it might even be a disadvantage. I have heard of fruits that have had no obvious effect, or very silly powers, but this is rare too," Robin mused. "Instead, it's much more likely that it will be a 'standard' Devil fruit power, and depend mostly on the user."

Vivi glared at Robin for half a second, before turning back to Luffy. "So…" she offered, holding out the Devil fruit. "Will you take it?"

Luffy was silent for a while, but he glanced downwards at his wrist. His hand had been tender ever since he had punched that cannonball…

"No," Luffy proclaimed finally, his eyes glinting with determination. "I don't want another Devil fruit. I _need_ to get stronger by myself."

Vivi didn't know what to say. She looked at the Devil fruit uncertainly, but Luffy was already pushing the fruit back to her. His hands wrapped around hers firmly, and he looked at her sincerely.

"You should eat it," he said gently. "It was given to you, after all."

For a breathless moment, Vivi was left staring straight at him. _This was what I had chosen_, she thought to herself, _I chose to follow him_…

Suddenly, Zoro called down from the prow of the boat, "Make up your mind quickly!" The swordsman shouted urgently. "There's a Marine barricade, coming up quick!"

In front of the Going Merry and rapidly approaching over the horizon, the shapes of several battleships blocked off the river. Everyone seemed to jump into action, with various levels of bravery. Vivi was left motionless, unsure of what to do.

"How many?" Nami demanded.

"Lots!"

"Get to the cannons!"

"This… this is nothing!" Usopp bragged loudly, despite his trembling knees and the fact that he was currently hiding under a table. "I once single-handedly destroyed a hundred battleships! No, a thousand!"

"Wow! Really?" Chopper exclaimed naïvely, joining Usopp in hiding.

Vivi wasn't sure what to do. Carue was busy squawking around the back of the ship, but she just stayed completely still. Even Robin was heading to the prow, glancing at the ships with vague interest while readying for the fight. Sanji lit a cigarette as he walked past Vivi.

"Don't worry Vivi!" The chef declared loudly. "Stay behind me! I will protect you!"

_No,_ Vivi thought quietly, with sudden realisation, _I don't want to be protected_…

Acting on pure impulse, Vivi suddenly bent over and took a huge bite out of the orange Devil fruit.

* * *

The Going Merry's masts unfurled, and the small ship accelerated quickly in the current of the Sandora River. As soon as the pirates came into range, the marines opened fire and launched black spears from dozens of cannons.

Some of them missed. Others were deflected. But the Going Merry was practically a target practice, and there were too many. Metal spears hit the ship from all sides, throwing up clouds of wooden shrapnel as they pierced straight through the hull.

In a blink of an eye, Luffy had to tackle Usopp to the ground to avoid a hail of razor-sharp splinters, but the sniper squirmed out of his grasp a second later.

"Oi!" Usopp shrieked furiously, running to the prow. "Don't you dare hurt the Going Merry!"

"Get down!" Nami yelled, just as another spear nearly took the figurehead off. She pulled Usopp out-of-the-way, while Luffy felt the anger flare in him as his seat was almost destroyed.

"Usopp! Get on the cannon and return fire!" Nami ordered firmly. "Chopper! Get below deck and start patching up holes! You three!" She pointed to Luffy, Zoro and Sanji. "Deflect those spears already!"

"So this is the Black Spear Formation," Robin said calmly. "They fire these spears to pierce the hull, weigh the ship down, and eventually leave it dead in the water. If we take any more, then we're all finished…"

"Stop being so calm about that!" Nami screeched furiously, just as another halo of spears fired from the battleships. The Going Merry was moving sluggishly now, but the distance was closer and even more of the spears hit their mark.

Luffy, Zoro and Sanji did what they could. Several of the spears were kicked, slashed and hit out of the air, but there were just too many. The impact shook the Going Merry dangerously, and Nami could feel the ship sinking slowly.

"This isn't working…" Nami realised with dread. "We're going to have to charge the centre… Let them hit each other with the crossfire, we have to break the barricade …"

Luffy gritted his teeth, but he couldn't stop the spears. Usopp was firing the cannon with unnerving accuracy, but there were too many battleships. _I cannot lose here_, Luffy thought with determination.

"The centre ship?" Luffy asked Nami insistently. "All I need to do is get the centre ship, right?"

"What are you doing…?" Nami shouted urgently, but Luffy was already moving.

Just as Usopp, below deck, fired the cannon, Luffy was sprinting off the deck and jumped towards the ocean. Nami didn't even have time to gasp as suddenly Luffy managed to catch a hold of the cannonball with lightning reflexes, and he let the momentum pull him through the air.

He was send flying towards the Marine ship in a cloud of splinters.

"Luffy!" Vivi shrieked in panic, running to the side. She was still trying not to vomit from the awful taste of the Devil fruit. It had tasted like hot ash. Luffy had already disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

In a frenzy, Vivi turned to Robin. "Quickly! How do I use my Devil fruit powers?"

"I don't know!" Robin protested weakly. "It just kind of happens…"

Vivi started screaming and throwing her hands wildly, trying to will something to happen. They crew was panicking now. The Going Merry was practically dead in the water, floating along at a snail's pace, and they could see the other marine ships preparing another salvo.

"Damn it!" Zoro screamed, his blades ready but with nothing to cut.

"I've got to do something!" Sanji grunted, desperately trying to protect the starboard side.

Desperately, Nami glanced towards the hole where Luffy crashed into. _I really hope this works_, she prayed, drawing her Clima-Tact. She disassembled the bo-staff into three pieces, and spun them around expertly. Streams of bubbles, both hot and cold, flew from each side, as Nami manipulated the weather like an artist with a brush.

"Weather forecast…" Nami grunted, trying to measure the atmosphere despite the raging battle. Suddenly, she could visualise the weather, and the wind flow… "Tornado!"

She clicked a switch and three clockwork doves burst from the Clima-Tact, and started spinning furiously as the centrifugal force created a wind that meshed with the artificial climate. Suddenly, a freak burst of wind burst around her, nearly taking everyone down to their knees.

The wind hit the Going Merry straight in the sails, and the ship nearly capsized. The force was enough to thrust the boat forward, and Nami could barely hold on a suddenly the crippled boat was accelerating forward at breakneck speed.

It didn't last long, but it was enough to cause all the spears to miss while the Going Merry burst into to the much larger Marine battleship.

"Brace yourself!" Nami screamed, holding on for dear life before the two boats collided.

* * *

Luffy pulled himself out of the debris from the cannonball quickly, but he was already surrounded by men in white uniforms and holding rifles.

"Straw Hat…" A familiar drawled. "Or is that name no longer appropriate?"

Luffy didn't even hesitate. Suddenly, before anyone could pull a trigger, Luffy was flickering through the air and slamming his fist at Smoker's head.

The captain dematerialised into smoke and Luffy went straight through harmlessly, but he didn't even pause. At once, Luffy rebounded off the cabin walls and he was attacking Smoker again, this time with both knives in his hand as he cut through the air.

He was attacking nothing but smoke. He was hitting no resistance and doing no harm, but Luffy just kept on firing his furious assault at Smoker. Anyone else that tried to get in his way never lasted long.

"Why bother?" Smoker rematerialized at the end of the room. "You should know you can't even lay a finger on me!"

Luffy growled, launching himself into another relentless attack. "Because there are stronger guys than you out there!" Luffy screamed. "And I need to learn how to beat them!"

He took a deep breath, before slashing up and down with both knives at flashing speed.

"I swear!" Luffy screamed with fury. "By the end of this fight, I will be able to _hurt_ you!"

Luffy never paused or even hesitated in his futile attack. The knives flashed through the air, chasing after the smoke which filled the cabin. If Smoker ever materialised, he would be sliced to pieces. Luffy charged with an inhuman fury, moving so quickly that Smoker couldn't even retaliate.

_It's useless_, the captain told himself, _he can't hurt me, and he will tire eventually_. Then, Luffy would finally be captured.

More marines tried to interfere, but the pirate was too vicious. Luffy barely even gave any of them any notice. The bodies of the men that got in his way fell to the ground quickly, all the while Luffy just kept on leaping off the walls and slicing through the air with his knives. Eventually, to avoid any more collateral, Smoker floated above deck and among the masts, where Luffy followed with unyielding fury.

Around them, the battle was really starting to get underway. The Going Merry crashed into the battleship, and five seconds later the pirates were storming on board. Zoro led the charge, his blades flashing through the air as he cut down everything in his path.

"Roronoa Zoro!" Tashigi challenged, jumping down from above. Her sword was in her hand, and their blades collided with sparks. "You're mine!"

Inwardly, Zoro groaned at meeting her, but he couldn't back down from a fight. "Go on ahead!" He shouted to the others, while parrying Tashigi's flashing blade. "I'll handle this!"

Everything exploded in a chaos of gunfire and falling bodies. Despite their numbers, the Marines were losing badly as the pirates seemed unstoppable. Sanji was at the forefront of the battle, his foot impacting against men so hard that it left his footprint on their spine.

There were screams of triumph as Captain Hina joined the battle. At once, whatever marines that were still standing flocked around their captain. Her ship was very rapidly being destroyed, but she still just stood coolly over the chaos.

At once, Sanji hesitated in front of the beautiful woman. His leg was raised in the air, trembling slightly.

"No…" The chef groaned. "I can't do it… I can't kick a woman!"

"That's good to hear," Hina agreed happily, before darting forward and bringing her arm at Sanji in vicious uppercut.

The impact took Sanji to his knees, but Hina's arm seemed to stretch and wrap around Sanji's torso, before transforming into iron. Within a second, Sanji's arms and chest wrapped in an iron manacle so tight that he could hardly breathe. He collapsed to the ground helplessly. Hina was already walking away.

Suddenly, half a dozen arms emerged from the ground around Captain Hina, combining into a fist that hit her directly on the chin with a sickening impact. The captain took the blow like a champion, and then proceeded to imprison each hand that touched her with iron handcuffs.

Still, the hands simply evaporated into a bloom of petals. Nico Robin stood calmly on the deck.

"_I_, on the other hand…," Robin said pleasantly. "…have absolutely no problem hitting women."

Hina wiped her chin thoughtfully. "Nico Robin… The Devil Child… this could be interesting."

At once, both women unleashed their powers. Dozens of hands emerged from the ground, were bound by iron manacles, and then simply vanished. Hina caught Robin in a huge iron cage that tried to crush her, but was caught herself in a net of hands that tried to break her spine.

Both women were long-range Devil fruit users, and it quickly became obvious that their match was a stalemate. Still, they kept on fighting while around them the rest of the marines and the pirates collided.

"Captain Hina!" Seaman Fullbody shouted in shock, drawing his iron knuckles. "I will protect you, my love–"

He was interrupted by a sudden kick to the chin from Sanji. The chef jumped to his feet despite the manacles constricting his upper body. If anything, Sanji looked relieved.

"You!" he said thankfully. "I can kick _you_ just fine!"

"We meet again!" Fullbody growled, angrily, pulling up into a boxing pose. "You bloody, violent chef! I'm much stronger now…!"

"I remember you," Sanji muttered, after a few seconds hesitation. "You're that marine commander with no respect for the restaurant…"

Sanji grinned, launching into a sudden flurry of kicks. "Allow me to beat some table manners into you again!"

Next to the battle, Jango tried to come to his friend's aid. An explosive bullet collided with the hypnotist that nearly took him to the ground.

Usopp grinned, already loading another round into his slingshot. "I never did thank you for invading my village, did I?"

* * *

Around Zoro, the battle was quickly shifting in favour for the pirates. Luffy hadn't relented on his assault against Smoker, though he had yet to land a single blow. Robin was likewise keeping Hina busy, even if the two seemed equally matched. Sanji was easily winning against Fullbody, despite the manacles restraining his arms. Usopp and Jango were slugging it out in a long ranged battle, but Usopp was simply the better sharpshooter. All the other marines were falling too quickly to even be considered.

Yet Zoro was left facing Tashigi, and that was a battle he was seriously unhappy with.

Tashigi lunged and slashed furiously. She was a good swordsman and she fought with speed and accuracy. Her blade flickered through the air as it targeted at all of his most vital spots. Despite her skill, Zoro just couldn't fight her properly.

He knew that he was the better swordsman. She wasn't bad, he was simply significantly better. That had been proven at Loguetown. If it had been any other foe of equal skill, Zoro would have been quite happy to face his opponent in a true battle.

But his opponent was… _her_. Zoro couldn't forget that moment when Tashigi had dug him out of the sand. That moment when she saved his life. Every time Zoro tried to imagine her as enemy, he kept on remembering that vision of beauty he had seen then, and he knew that he couldn't attack her properly.

No swordsman could cut something when there was doubt in his sword; otherwise you would end up cutting yourself.

Instead, Zoro was left trying to parry her blows, but he was unable to return any of them. Within seconds, Tashigi was becoming visibly annoyed at him for holding back.

"Why… aren't… you… _fighting_… back!" Tashigi grunted through every slash. She was becoming faster and more aggressive.

Zoro was pushed backwards, trying to desperately parry her flashing blade. The sparks danced between the swords. "Because I don't want to!" Zoro snapped back, receiving a shallow cut across his neck for his moment's distraction.

"What?" Tashigi growled angrily. "You don't think I'm a worthy opponent?! Because I'm a _woman_!?"

Zoro was in trouble now. Tashigi's thrusts was unyielding and Zoro had to step backwards just to avoid them. "No!" Zoro snapped at her. "It's got nothing to do with you being a _woman_!"

Zoro hesitated, just as he parried another slash that nearly took off his head. "Well, it _does_," he admitted. "But not in the way you mean!"

"Then why?" Tashigi snarled furiously. Her blade was blurring around her now. "_Why do you refuse to fight_ me?!"

"Because…" Zoro hesitated. He tried to step backwards again, but he was out of ship. He had to act now, or he would die.

With a swift movement, Zoro jumped forward. He didn't use his swords, but instead slammed his shoulder into Tashigi and tackled the lieutenant to the ground. The movement caught Tashigi by surprise, but Zoro still received a deep cut across the chest for his trouble.

"I don't want to fight you because…" The words caught in Zoro's mouth. "Because… well… because you're _you_."

For one moment, he was lying on top of Tashigi, his arms pinning her to the ground. Her lean body struggled underneath his. He was so close that he could see every droplet of sweat on her brow, and her scent overpowered his senses.

Zoro's heart started beating so fast it threatened to collapse. For that moment, there was absolutely nothing on his mind except Tashigi's beautiful face. All he could see was Tashigi's lips.

It wasn't a choice. It was a pure, overwhelming command from his subconscious, and his muscles moved with no conscious thought. Suddenly, Zoro felt himself bending down to press his lips against hers…

The moment their lips touched, a jolt of pure bliss fired through Zoro. Time seemed to stop for him.

Tashigi, for her part, was caught completely and utterly by surprise. She responded by instinctively raising her leg and hitting Zoro directly in the groin with force.

Her knee collided with his crotch with such a sickening crunch that even single man in a hundred yards winced involuntarily. Even Smoker paused to look down at Zoro with an almost sympathetic expression.

Zoro shrieked like a little girl, before collapsing into a heap.

Tashigi pulled herself up quickly. Her emotions were flickering from flustered, to embarrassed, to extremely angry. She was blushing so much her face was bright red. "What are you…?" She stuttered incredulously, staring down at Zoro. She could still feel his lips on hers. "Why would you…? How could…?"

She gulped, desperately trying and failing to make sense of what had just happened. "I mean…" She stammered with shock. "But… But…"

Zoro tried to say something. Tashigi couldn't hear it, but she responded by instinctively channelling generations of women everywhere, and kicking him in the balls again.

"For the love of god!" Luffy called down loudly, temporarily distracted from his fight, his eyes worried. "Someone save Zoro while it is still whole!"

Sanji responded quickly. The chef jumped to Zoro's side urgently, and was uncharacteristically gentle as he lifted Zoro up and took him to safety. All of the marines parted in sympathy to allow the swordsman to escape.

Tashigi was left standing there, touching her lips with shock. Her cheeks never stopped blushing. "Why would he…?"

* * *

Smoker grunted with annoyance as he looked across the battlefield of the ship. Things were going badly. The marines were falling and the ship was in tatters. Other than himself, only Captain Hina was still capable of fighting, but she wasn't making any progress against Nico Robin.

The other battleships were incapable of firing without hitting each other. Their formation was falling to pieces. The net was being pulled out of place. It wouldn't be long now before the blockade would be ruined, and then the pirates might escape.

_I have to finish this_, Smoker thought with determination, gathering billows of smoke around him.

Luffy was still attacking furiously, but he was panting heavily by now. Around them, the masts were demolished by Luffy's attacks. Smoker was still completely unharmed, just very annoyed.

Another knife slashed at Smoker's head. It hit nothing but smoke. Luffy jumped away from another plume of smoke, but this time he was too slow. The smoke wrapped around his body like a snake, and slowly started to tighten. Luffy was left helplessly suspended in mid-air by the smoke wrapped around him.

"I've got you now," Smoker muttered, drawing his Seastone jitte from across his back. He twirled the weapon through the air, before lunging it straight towards Luffy's chest.

The impact was devastating. It knocked the breath straight out of him, and sent him flying across the deck. Smoker pressed on with his attack, smirking ruthlessly. Seastone would steal a Devil fruit's powers, leaving the user helpless. So long as Smoker kept the tip on Luffy, then the pirate would be rendered powerless…

But then, Luffy's reaction caused Smoker to freeze. Instead of disorientation and weakness, Luffy grabbed a hold of the jitte firmly.

"Yeah…" Luffy grinned, keeping a tight hold on the weapon. "That's not going to work on me anymore."

Suddenly, with his remaining hand, Luffy drew a knife and brought it down on Smoker's hand. The captain had no choice but to dematerialise otherwise he would lose fingers, which left the jitte firmly in Luffy's grasp.

Smoker couldn't even curse before Luffy brought his own weapon down straight on his head.

He couldn't phase through Seastone tip, and the jitte itself was heavy metal. The force of the blow sent Smoker crashing into the deck with concussive impact. Vaguely, he could feel blood dripping from his forehead. Smoker never even had time to recover before Luffy slammed the jitte across his skull again.

"I _told_ you I would learn how to hurt you," Luffy panted heavily. He was swirling the weapon with satisfaction. Smoker was still reeling from shock, pain and outrage at the pirate. Luffy looked impressed as he inspected jitte critically.

Smoker was practically burning with fury, but Luffy just grinned widely.

"I'm keeping this!" he called brightly, before suddenly turning around and sprinting away.

The captain transformed into a cloud of smoke to give chase, but Luffy was already jumping over the side of the deck. He landed easily on the crow's nest of the Going Merry, where the rest of his crew was already sailing away.

Smoker watched the pirates laugh as they fled. Smoker's ship had been destroyed. His men were beaten. The barricade was breached. Now, Smoker's entire career was in danger.

_That bastard stole my jitte!_

The captain took a deep breath. They were getting further and further ahead. The other ships hadn't even managed to turn around yet. A week ago, Smoker might have been relieved if they had escaped; he had enjoyed hunting them, after all. But not now. Not when his entire position in the Marines was threatened…

Behind him, Hina limped to his side. She had held up pretty well against Robin, but Hina hadn't been capable of stopping them on her own. She looked equally annoyed.

"Gather your men and your ships," Smoker ordered firmly, his eyes glowing with barely concealed fury. "We'll pursue them to the edge of the world…"

For once, Hina didn't even argue with her colleagues tone. She just nodded stiffly. Both captains stood still for a long time, watching the little ship slowly disappear over the horizon.

* * *

_Later that night…_

By nightfall, Usopp had already patched up the caravel as best he could, but the Going Merry was a sturdy little ship. The victory party had lasted the whole day, but it settled down a few hours ago. It was easy sailing over a quiet ocean, and there had been no sign of any pursuers. Most of the crew had retired to their rooms for the night, although Luffy was out on deck and busy bench-pressing two of the cannons.

The captain hadn't been sleeping much recently. _Being asleep felt too much like being dead_, he had admitted to Vivi quietly.

Vivi was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the tangerine grove, simply because it was one of the quietest, most out of the way places she could find. The princess was getting her old gown filthy, but she didn't care. She was staring at her hands with frustration, willing something to happen.

She had tried every action she could think of. She had been flapping her body around like a fool before, desperate to reveal some hidden ability, or strange power that she must have developed. The Devil fruit had tasted as foul as hot ash, and it had been genuine. Curiously, she had gently touched Luffy's new jitte before, only to find her body freeze up on contact with the Seastone.

Vivi had eaten a Devil fruit. But she had yet to discover what exactly her powers were. With dread, she wondered what if it had been a dud. _What if it had been something completely useless, like the… Woman-Woman fruit or something?_ She thought, worriedly biting her lip, _or the Useless-Useless fruit…?_

She sighed as she glanced out over the moonlit ocean. That Devil fruit was supposed to be her chance to get stronger…

There were footsteps behind her. At once, Vivi turned around with embarrassment, only to see a calm Nico Robin looking down on her.

"What are you doing up?!" Vivi accused suspiciously, glaring at the older woman with distrust.

Robin simply smiled. "Just getting a drink," she explained, holding up a glass of milk as proof. She was staring down at the distraught Vivi softly.

"Don't worry too much about your powers," Robin soothed gently, just as she turned to walk away. "Sometimes it takes a while. You'll find out what they are eventually…"

Vivi watched her go, feeling the anger and the hurt boil up inside her. Suddenly, Vivi felt like she was about to cry, but no tears seemed to come. Furious with the unfairness of it all, Vivi slammed her hand down viciously at a nearby tangerine tree.

Yet there was no impact. Vivi's hand simply phased through the branches, completely dematerialising into dust, before reappearing on the other side. Her hand didn't feel any different.

Vivi glared at the hand in shock, and suddenly she knew that she had found her powers. Around her, the soil was drying up and turning into sand. Nami's precious tangerines were eroded by her presence.

The princess was left motionless, staring at her new-found abilities. She recognised them well…

Vivi had never been one for swearing, but now it seemed like it was appropriate.

"_Holy shit!_" Vivi gasped quietly, while the sand around her started to swirl.

* * *

At the other side of the Going Merry, Zoro staggered out of the bed, frowning heavily. _Today had not been a good day_, he thought finally.

His fight against Tashigi had been _the_ embarrassing one of his life, and that was even including his regular beat downs from Kuina. He would have loved to forget all about it, but the memory was already scarred into his brain.

He still couldn't walk properly. He was forced to waddle everywhere, and tenderly nurse his crotch back to health. The last time he went to the toilet, there had been a large amount of blood involved.

Plus, Chopper had to bandage up his groin. _That_ had been an experience Zoro was rapidly trying to erase from memory.

_And I _kissed_ her_, Zoro thought furiously. In the middle of a fight. It was shameful and embarrassing, and he couldn't believe he had actually done it. And the kiss had been…

_Well, it had been…_

Zoro gulped, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Today had not been a good day, and tonight he was left to do something _truly_ unpleasant.

The swordsman hobbled around the ship, slowly heading towards the kitchen. There was a light on inside the room.

"Nami! Vivi! Robin!" Sanji was singing gently as he cooked. "Three beautiful ladies on one ship! And they will all fall in love with me once they've tasted…"

His voice trailed off as Zoro walked through the door. Zoro was glaring at Sanji unhappily.

"Marimo…" Sanji greeted, the sing-song voice instantly replaced by a cool greeting. "What are you doing in my kitchen?"

Zoro growled, trying to force the words out. "I…" The statement very nearly choked him. "… I need your _help_…"

Sanji was curious now. He leant back on the benches and lit a cigarette calmly. "Help with what?" Sanji said calmly, looking Zoro up and down.

The swordsman would have much preferred to cut off his own fingers, one by one, than by here. But still, he finally managed to spit the words out.

"I need advice…" he grumbled quietly.

Sanji raised a curly eyebrow. The chef was starting to enjoy himself now. "Advice on…?"

Zoro gulped. He could feel whatever pride he had left being shredded. "If you tell anybody about this," he warned seriously. "I _will_ kill you."

Sanji nodded with bemusement, while Zoro was still wrestling with the words.

"I need advice on…" It was painful to watch. Finally, Zoro's pride collapsed. He sighed in defeat. "I need advice on _women_…"

The chef nodded, and was silent for several seconds. Then, he slowly took out another cigarette, lit it carefully, before taking a very deep breath.

Sanji's laughter could be heard all the way in Aluburna.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**This is marks the end of the first "Arc" of the story, and from now on it's heading towards Sky Island. I'm really looking forward to that story.**

**So, Vivi got the Sand Sand fruit, because I figured that was just the most fitting power for her. Thanks for all the suggestions, but I really like the irony in Vivi getting Crocodile's old power.**

**Luffy's got a brand new Seastone jitte, too – Smoker's going to pretty annoyed about that for a while :)**

**And Zoro got two very unfortunate kicks after trying to kiss Tashigi. Sorry if I shamed him too much, but I was trying to show how completely out of his depth he was.**

**Plus, I was trying to make it realistic. In my experience, a kick to the crotch is the most common outcome after kissing a girl.**

…

… **Have I been doing it wrong…?**

* * *

**Next Chapter: "Girl Problems".**


	7. Chapter 7: Girl Problems

**Nine Minutes**

**Disclaimer: No luck on the owning One Piece front so far, but I remain hopeful.**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_**The pirates have left Alabasta and are on their way, with Vivi and Robin recently joining the crew. Vivi eats a Devil fruit, which she discovers to be the Sand Sand fruit previously belonging to Crocodile.**_

_**Meanwhile, Zoro makes a humiliating and painful advance on Lieutenant Tashigi as she tried to arrest him, leaving an awkward Zoro forced to ask the worst possible person for help…**_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Girl Problems**

* * *

Sanji laughed harder than he had in years. The chef was practically bent over, struggling to breathe through the laughter. Zoro gritted his teeth with frustration.

"Are you done?" He snapped finally.

"You... You're having girl problems!" Sanji exclaimed through gasps of breath. "I always assumed you were in a relationship with your swords! You mean the shitty swordsman is actually interested in human females?"

Sanji suddenly stopped laughing. "Wait; she is human, right?" The chef wondered. "This isn't some sort of weird sword fetish-"

"Yes!" Zoro growled angrily. "She's human, you damn pervert."

Sanji smirked as he leant back against the kitchen cupboards. "So who's the unlucky girl – Ah, of course," he realised instantly. "It's that marine girl isn't it? Tashigi?"

Zoro was strangely quiet as he murmured, "Yes."

"Ah…" The chef nodded understandingly. "Looking to play a bit of cops and robbers with the beautiful marine? Have you ever thought about what _else_ she could use those handcuffs for…?"

The swordsman's eyes flashed. "Get your mind of the gutter, you pervert."

"Oh! So you need my help in _wooing_ the beautiful lady?"

Zoro spat a choked agreement.

Sanji nodded sagely. "Well…" he mused, thinking about it for a while. "Yep – she's way out of your league. Honestly, you would be better of sticking with your swords."

The vein on Zoro's forehead bulged dangerously. _This was a mistake_, he thought furiously. He had just pointed Sanji at the most emotionally sensitive subject he had.

"Are you going to help me or not?!" The swordsman snarled.

"Ok, then," Sanji asked, a teasing look in his eyes. "What do you need help with?"

Strangely, Zoro found that he would much rather repeatedly and brutally stab himself in the stomach than force the words out of his mouth. "Well…" He muttered in a choked voice. "How do I…"

Finally, he had to just close his eyes and spit it out. "…_woo_ her…?"

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Listen, Marimo," the chef explained. "It's really quite simple: all women are goddesses."

Suddenly, Sanji was throwing his arms wide and posing with a glazed look in his eyes. "A woman is the perfect, magnificent creature to walk the world!" He proclaimed. "It is a man's privilege to even stare upon one's face! To engage in the subtle and glorious art of _romance_, you must only treat the lady like divine and flawless beings that they truly are!"

Zoro was quiet for a long time. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," he thought about it for a while. "…And it has been a _long_ list."

For once, Sanji wasn't even insulted. "Oh, but the tin-man does have a heart, doesn't he?" He teased. "Even if it is hidden beneath an obsession for blades."

"Let me guess how the fair Tashigi makes you feel…" He continued, lighting a cigarette smoothly. "Your heart pounds. Your legs become jelly. Suddenly you don't know what to say, and the words jam in your throat. You feel so _weak_, but at the same time you never want to feel anything else. She's all that you can think about, and any moment that you're not with her feels like a wasted opportunity."

Zoro was quiet. Sanji looked smug. "And that, shitty swordsman…," he declared. "…is the majestic power that the female race holds over a man's heart!"

The chef smirked, and then added, "Of course, it's wasted on you because Tashigi is _so_ far out of your league."

"That's it!" Zoro snapped finally, already drawing his swords. "I'm _going_ to kill you now."

Zoro lunged at Sanji, and the two of them started wrestling. Kitchen utensils clattered to the ground while the two men tried to force each other to ground. Perhaps Zoro wouldn't actually kill or seriously maim the chef, but he wasn't above inflicting some light injuries.

Curiously, Luffy heard the clattering and walked into kitchen. Luffy's muscles were still aching and sweating from his late-night workout, but he popped his head around the corner interestedly.

"Hey guys," Luffy greeted, without surprise at his two crewmates trying to kill each other. "What you doing?"

Sanji grinned, kicking Zoro roughly in the chest. "Marimo here is having girl problems!" Sanji teased.

"Huh." Luffy's face was clueless. "What girl problems?"

"You know…" He motioned suggest fully. "_Girl_ problems."

There was no hint of realisation. The chef deadpanned. "Zoro is having problems getting a _girlfriend_," he explained finally.

"Oh…" The captain scratched his head in confusion. "Wait, aren't Nami and Vivi your friends?"

Even Zoro stared at Luffy's obliviousness. Sanji looked dumbfounded. "Luffy… do you not know what a girlfriend is?"

"Uhh… _yes_," Luffy replied finally, after a long moment's hesitation. "But you explain it first, just to be sure."

The chef blinked twice. "Do you know the thing that men and women do with each other in private?" He tried.

Luffy started panicking slightly. "…Eat meat?" He hazarded.

Zoro burst out laughing. It was incredibly reassuring to know that at least there was someone more clueless than he was.

Sanji looked shocked. "Unbelievable; how can both of you be so clueless about the appreciation of the opposing sex?"

He didn't even wait for an answer, but slammed his fist into his hand with determination. "As a fellow man, it is my duty to enlighten you both on the intricacies and mysteries of the opposite sex!" Sanji proclaimed. "And I have just the tool for the job!"

Without hesitation, Sanji darted across the kitchen and pulled a slim book out of a drawer, and then held it triumphantly. The book was old and worn, but still in good quality. The title, in broad letters, proclaimed 'Pleasure in the Garden of Eden'. The cover showed a picture of a beautiful woman, mostly naked except for a few dollops of squirty cream over her body.

Sanji looked proud. Luffy looked confused. Zoro looked embarrassed to even be here.

"…You keep that in the _kitchen_?" Zoro said finally.

"It gives me inspiration when I'm cooking."

Zoro started to look sick as he imagined Sanji cooking alone. Curiously, Luffy snatched the book out of Sanji's hand. He flickered to a random page in the middle.

"'…_Wendy moaned as he planted his member into her wet soil_…'" Luffy read slowly, looking confused. "I don't get it – is this about gardening?"

Sanji was quiet for a very long time. "Ok," he decided eventually. "We're going to have to start with the _very_ basics."

He rushed over to the meat pantry and pulled something off the hook, before quickly grabbing a pastry from the sweet cupboard.

"Oh! Are you making something to eat?" Luffy asked eagerly.

Sanji shook his head. "Nope." He held up the sausage and the doughnut. "These are teaching aids."

Luffy was very confused now. He was still struggling to read his way through the book. "There's too much writing in this!" He complained loudly. "Words are confusing…"

"Don't worry!" Sanji said eagerly, flipping through the pages. "There are pictures too!"

Luffy's eyes bulged as he stared in page. Sanji smiled with satisfaction and was already starting to narrate the 'story' from the book.

Zoro looked at the two of them for a long time. He tried to maintain a look of disdain for a while. Finally, he gave in and went to sit down next to them, peering at the small book.

* * *

After midnight, Robin restlessly stood up and walked quietly out of her cabin. She was used to sleeping at sea and the gentle waves didn't bother her, but it was discomforting being in such a strange place. She had spent so long being hunted that it was hard to close her eyes in a new environment.

Silently, she walked barefoot from the quarters and left the women's quarters. The ship was silent this late at night, and Robin figured that she would get a snack from the kitchen to help her sleep. As she crept out on to the deck and felt the ocean breeze, she heard whispers coming from the kitchen.

The kitchen light was still on, and the sound of a hushed conversation spread across the deck. Curiously, Robin approached quietly.

"I don't get," Luffy said slowly, sounding confused. "You never mentioned anything about doing _that_."

"When a woman lets you do _that_, then it is the truest expression of pure love!" Sanji sighed. His voice had a dreamlike quality to it. "Only one in a thousand men are lucky enough to achieve it…"

Even through the door, Robin could practically hear Luffy scratching his head. "It looks… awkward."

"True love comes in many shapes and sizes."

There was a sound of a page being turned, and a short quiet. This time, it was Zoro who talked. "Ok… I'm pretty sure that position is physically impossible," he said sceptically. "There's no way that you could bend like that."

"True love can achieve many things," Sanji replied happily.

"Oh!" Luffy exclaimed suddenly, having a brainwave. "Do you think _he's_ a Rubberman?"

There was a moment's silence. "If there was a Devil fruit that could let you achieve _that_…" Sanji said finally, his voice solemn. "Then I will kill the man who eats before I do."

There was a sound of another page rustling, followed by another quiet.

"Hey…" Luffy said eventually. He sounded like a schoolboy trying to learn a new subject. "You definitely said that sex was between a man and woman. So what's that other woman doing?"

"True love doesn't discriminate between genders," Sanji sounded happy. "It's _ALL_ beautiful…"

"Oh." There were a few seconds consideration. "Does that mean it would be beautiful between two guys as well?"

At the same time, Sanji and Zoro both choked with the thought. There was a sound of two fists colliding against Luffy's head, before the pages flipped once again.

"_Ah_…" Sanji sighed blissfully.

"So much cream," Luffy commented. "What are they using all that squirty cream for?"

"True love requires sustenance."

"…I will never be able to eat your lemon tart again." Zoro said finally.

In response, Luffy's stomach growled. "I'm _really_ hungry suddenly."

As the three of them kept on arguing, Robin became more curious. Finally, she placed a hand over her eye and used her powers. Inside the kitchen, an eye appeared on the inside of the door.

Sanji, Luffy and Zoro were sitting on the floor on the kitchen, huddled around a porno book, all the while trying to ignore the growing bulges in their pants.

Robin blinked twice and the eye vanished. Without another word, she very quickly walked back to her bed.

* * *

Nami woke up late the next morning. It was rare for the navigator to be able to sleep in, but the sky was clear and the Going Merry was on a smooth route to the next island. She had deliberately plotted a detouring course after Alabasta in an attempt to lose the Marines that would be chasing them, and so Nami was expecting at least a couple of weeks at sea.

The bright midday sun was filtering through the port-hole. The cabin was slowly becoming blisteringly hot, until the wooden floors started to sweat from the evaporation. As much as Nami would have loved to stay wrapped up comfortably in blankets, eventually it became so hot that she had to get up.

Unwillingly, Nami pulled herself out of bed and sighed as she climbed the stairs on to deck. She was feeling more rested than she had in months, quite content to walk out wearing pyjama shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt, an outfit that clearly highlighted her curves.

_Perhaps Sanji will have a heart attack when he sees me wearing this_, Nami thought with a hint of smugness. For all the chef was a pervert, Nami did quite enjoy causing him regular nosebleeds. It was good for her confidence.

Nami pushed the door open slowly, and the bright sunlight caused her to blink several times. She was left completely unprepared for the view that greeted her on deck.

Luffy was standing at the front ship, facing towards the figurehead, and was busy doing squats as he held two cannons over his head. The captain didn't seem to notice Nami watching, but suddenly he was all the Nami could notice.

His muscles glistened with the sweat the poured off him. The golden sunlight highlighted his body in a way that would not be out of place in one of her slim books –Yes; Nami had her own version of Sanji's "cookery" book, except hers was much more well-hidden. Luffy was panting heavily, and Nami could only stare at the sweat dripping down bare chest. During the squats, his shorts had slowly crept down his hips, and perhaps if she watch long enough than they would eventually…

Without even blinking, Nami wordlessly sat down by the door and watched appreciatively. A bright blush settled over her cheeks. She could feel her body heating up, and her hands started to slowly drift towards her hips.

_This is wrong_, she told herself firmly. She could only imagine what Vivi or Robin would think if they were to walk on her watching Luffy like this. God knows, she'd never live it down if one of the men were to appear now. _I should walk away quickly_, Nami thought decisively, _right now_. Still, she stayed completely motionless; her body seemed to ignoring her commands.

_When did he get so _many_ muscles?_ Nami wondered with a quiet sigh. Luffy had always been so skinny and lean. He had been strong, sure, but he used to be so narrow shouldered.

_It had been the Gum Gum fruit_, Nami realised. His body used to stretch rather than buff up, leaving him looking scrawny. Even after only a week with his near-suicidal training scheme, the effects were starting to show. His arms were starting bulging now, and his posture had improved. Not drastically; Luffy was still a twig compared to Zoro. Still, it was enough to make Nami sweat as she imagined what it would be like to have those arms wrapped around her, and the feel of his naked chest against hers…

_Ok_, Nami thought finally as she forced herself to stand up, _I have to leave– right now_. It had been a weird few days, and she still wasn't used to seeing Luffy acting differently. It was totally understandable that her mind would wander a bit. Those thoughts she was having didn't mean a thing.

_They didn't mean a thing_, she repeated firmly.

Nami quickly ran back to her room to get dressed, careful to make sure that Luffy never noticed a thing. She shut the door firmly behind her. A few seconds later, Nami turned around, opened the door slightly, and gave a lingering look through the gap. She was biting her lip as she pulled herself away.

Suddenly, Nami realised that she _really_ needed a shower.

Not even Nami noticed the disembodied eye that was hovering over the door. At the other side of the ship, Nico Robin smiled appreciatively as she leant backwards slowly, her hand over one eye.

* * *

A few hours later, Nami emerged from her room, fully dressed in the most _conservative_ clothing she had. She took great care when opening the door, but Luffy was no longer on the deck. Curiously and unwillingly disappointed, Nami glanced around before she heard the laughter emerging from the meeting room.

"Do it again!" A happy and high-pitched voice was laughing. Nami opened the door to see Chopper rolling around the floor cheerfully, standing in front of a bemused Vivi. The whole crew was sitting around table, watching Vivi curiously. Luffy was right next to Vivi, and (thankfully!) he was wearing a shirt again.

"I'm still not very good with it…" Vivi said apologetically, scratching her head hesitantly. She just couldn't resist Chopper's wide-eyed innocence.

Slowly, Vivi waved her hand in front of her. Nami could see her outline shimmer strangely, before suddenly sprinkles fell off her arm. Each grain of sand glinted in the bright light. Chopper giggled he tried to chase the sand around the room, and the while the gentle sandstorm started to increase in intensity.

Eventually, the slow-moving sandstorm engulfed the whole room. Nami could feel the sand tingling her skin, but there was no pain or malicious intent there. Sanji was already on his feet and exclaiming about Vivi's beauty, but Nami felt her mouth drop open.

"This is…?"

"It looks like the princess has discovered her power," Robin remarked simply. "It's strange that the Sand Sand fruit has reappeared so quickly."

Vivi glanced around the room nervously. She was looking at what Luffy's reaction would be, yet the captain seemed completely calm.

"Luffy, I–" Vivi tried, but the words jammed in her throat. She really didn't want to bring up bad memories for him, and part of her was dreading what happen if Luffy associated her to Crocodile.

"It's alright!" Luffy grinned brightly. "It's got nothing to do with _him_ anymore. This is your power now."

Instantly, everyone was laughing. Usopp and Chopper were already staring at Vivi with awe now, and she felt all the tension fall from her shoulders.

"This is great!" Usopp exclaimed loudly. "We can make sandcastles now! Let's have a sandcastle tournament!"

"I'm not sure how to… it's only been…"

Even as Vivi tried to protest, she waved her hand around and a huge gush of sand spat from her fingertips. Usopp was suddenly sent crashing towards the far side of the room in a pile of sand, but he brushed himself off happily.

"That's so cool!" The sniper exclaimed loudly. "Maybe I should eat a Devil fruit…?"

She chuckled, and gradually started to experiment with summoning more sand around the room. Within seconds, the room was hazy with sand, but there was no force behind it and it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Vivi!" Nami shouted suddenly with concern. Beneath Vivi's feet, the wood was drying up and splitting. "Careful!"

The sandstorm vanished from the air, leaving a layer of sand covering everything. Vivi jumped backwards, looking at the two footprints of aridness that had been stamped on to the wooden floor.

Vivi stammered uncertainly, "I'm sorry, I've still not very good with…"

"Doesn't matter!" Luffy dismissed cheerfully. "You're going to get better! Sanji! Let's make a meal to celebrate!"

The captain was shouting happily as he hustled Vivi out of the room. The rest of the crew followed, with Sanji proclaim the meal of love that he was about to make. Nami watched them go with a happy smile. Luffy, in his moronic way, must have known that Vivi was feeling insecure, Nami realised.

Suddenly, Nami recalled that moment back in Cocoyasi. She was crying on the ground, and Luffy just wordlessly pressed his hat on to her head. _There's nothing more important to him than making sure his friends are happy_…

"Does this mean that you can turn into sand now?" Luffy asked Vivi excitedly. "Oh! Could you turn into a sand monster? That would be so cool!"

"I've been trying…" Vivi stammered, feeling the infectious laughter as all her friends crowded around. "It's really hard! I can make small sandstorms, but I sometimes lose control, and it takes a long time to dematerialise my body…"

Vivi's voice trailed off as she glanced towards Nami. "I might have accidentally ruined a couple of your tangerines trees, when I was practising," Vivi muttered apologetically to Nami.

"My tangerines?!" Nami exclaimed loudly.

"Only a couple!" Vivi said quickly. "Most of the grove is absolutely fine! My powers just got away from me a bit…"

Nami glanced towards Luffy, her reactive outrage eased quickly. "Doesn't matter," Nami replied with a smile. "They're only tangerines."

Then, Sanji arrived in blur as he carried three large plates of appetisers while reciting a love song to Vivi. The words 'desert princess' were repeated often. Even as the meal was set out, Vivi was dragged by Chopper who begged to see more of her powers. Carue joined in quickly, heaving Vivi onto his back and racing in circles around the deck while the sand swirled idly around her.

The party was already starting, and it was impossible for the crew to do anything quietly. Nami laughed as Usopp, Chopper and Luffy started a 'sand' fight with each other, before she sat down with a drink in her hand and enjoyed the fun.

Wordlessly, Robin sat down next to Nami. The older woman graciously accepted her drink from a gushing Sanji, before the chef blurred off to chase after Vivi.

"I'm impressed," Robin said finally. "Logia fruits are exceedingly rare and extremely powerful. As Vivi learns how to control her powers, she's going to become very strong."

Nami didn't respond. Instead, the navigator just watched Luffy chase after Vivi, and she felt a pit in her stomach.

* * *

It was evening by the time the impromptu celebration finally ended. Luffy returned to his workout, and at the other side of the ship, Zoro returned to his. Recently, the swordsman and the captain had been competing to see who could handle the most nightmarish 'training' regime. As much as it killed him to admit it, Zoro was losing that competition.

This time, Zoro returned to practice with a vengeance. Last night with Sanji had been… _illustrative_ in many ways, but he felt just as lost with Tashigi as ever. No matter how hard the swordsman thought about it, he had yet to come up with any action that wouldn't result in Tashigi kicking him in the balls again.

_Why do woman have to be so complicated?_ Zoro thought with frustration. It had been a thought echoed by many men throughout the ages.

Zoro was swinging his swords furiously; each blade was fastened to a heavy barrel, but Zoro didn't care. Right now, he just wanted something to distract him.

Otherwise, he was afraid he would have to go and get Sanji's little book again.

After half an hour, footsteps marked the arrival of an impatient Nami. She stood with her hands on her hips, watching Zoro and waiting for him to notice her. He did, but Zoro pretended not to see her for a long time.

"Zoro!" Nami snapped finally, unable to think of any pleasant way to start the conversation.

"What do you want?" Zoro growled, dropping his swords nevertheless. "I'm training here."

Nami folded her arms. "Good," she said firmly. "Because from now on, you're going to train _me_."

That caused Zoro to stop and stare. "_What_?"

"_You_ are going to train _me_," Nami repeated slowly, as if talking to an infant. "You are going to teach me how to use a sword."

Zoro looked like he was about to choke. "But… _why_?"

Nami shrugged, careful not to reveal any of her feelings. "Everyone else here is getting stronger," she said simply. "I want to get stronger too. Now _you're_ going to train me."

The swordsman shook his head. "Go away!" He shouted, but there was a sinking feeling in his stomach. Nami was well-known for getting whatever she wanted. "I don't have time for that!"

Nami smiled manipulatively, reaching into her pocket. "Well, then… in that case I'm just going to have to do something nasty…"

She held out a small photo. Zoro felt his eyes bulge. "What… is… _that_?"

He was staring at a picture of himself and Sanji, lying asleep on the ground and cuddling up to each other unknowingly. Their arms were wrapped around each other, and his hand was disturbingly close to Sanji's crotch…

Zoro blinked several times. Veins started to throb on his forehead.

"I took it in Aluburna, after the party," Nami explained with a smirk. "The king lent me a picture snail. When you and Sanji were passed out drunk, I might have pulled you're bodies together and took the picture."

Zoro looked like he was about to explode. Nami held the picture closer. "Look carefully," she teased. "I even put my make-up on you both."

The swordsman snapped. He quickly snatched the photo from her hands, shredding it into pieces and then stomping on the pieces. Nami simply chuckled. "Go ahead," she grinned. "Do you really think that I took only _one_?"

"You witch…!" He snarled.

"Yep," she agreed. "Anyways, either you train me, or that photo is going to appear on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper. Can you imagine what that would do to your _reputation…_?"

The colour faded from Zoro's face. "But… but…" Zoro stammered helplessly. "Why do you even want to learn how to use a _sword_? Do you even _have_ a sword?"

"Because I do," Nami replied. "And no, I can just borrow one of yours for now."

He looked like he wanted to protest, but the image of that picture flashed before his eyes. Instantly, it became one of Zoro's life ambitions that no one else would ever see that picture. Particularly, not Tashigi…

Zoro blinked twice. An idea came to him. "Fine…" He said unwillingly. "I'll train you. But in return you've got to do something for me."

Nami raised an eyebrow. "What?" She asked suspiciously.

He gulped. "You've got to help me with a girl," he admitted finally.

* * *

The training started quickly, and with lots of arguing. Zoro was a completely terrible teacher, but that was alright because Nami was an utterly horrible student. She refused to follow his instructions, but he neglected to give any so it was fine.

Instead, Zoro simply gave her one of his swords and they started sparring. He decided to lend her Yubashiri, as that was the most forgiving of his blades, while he used Wado Ichimonji. Nami's technique and stance was terrible, but Zoro was unforgiving. It was lucky that he had recently mastered the art of not cutting, otherwise Nami would have been missing limbs very quickly. Instead, she suffered many bruises.

Zoro had half expected Nami to call it quits after the first spar, but her determination never wavered. Instead, she just gritted her teeth and kept on standing up. Eventually, Zoro gradually started to slow down his movement so that she could copy them, and in return she followed his unspoken instruction.

By dusk, they were still sparring, and Zoro reluctantly started to accept that she might have talent. Nami was quick with sharp reflexes, and she was intent on learning. The other crew members came and watched curiously. Sanji was initially fuming with rage at Zoro for being so ungentle with Nami, yet then Robin came and distracted the chef with some light flirting.

It was black by the time Zoro finally called it off. Nami was panting and sweating heavily, but she refused to be the one to quit. In the spirit of companionship, Zoro carried her into the kitchen and even brought a warm towel for her bruises.

With wordless appreciation, she accepted the towel. Zoro took a seat next to her.

"You're not bad," he said finally. The swordsman was forced to respect her determination, and he had already relented to be the one to teach her. "You need to work on your strength, and you movements are clumsy. It's nothing that a regular training regime can't fix."

Nami nodded silently. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat and asked, "So tell me about this girl?"

Discreetly, Zoro glanced around to make sure that no one else was around. He didn't think he could survive the embarrassment again. "Her name is Tashigi," he admitted. "She's a marine that I meant in Loguetown. At first she just reminded of another girl I once knew, but then…"

"She's the one that saved our lives," Nami smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"

Zoro nodded. With a quick flick of her rest, Nami slapped him over his head, but gently. "Then tell her that, idiot," Nami chided with a smile. "_She's_ the one you should be talking to."

"It's not that easy!" Zoro protested. "She's a Marine! She hates me for being a pirate. She's a swordswoman! She hates me for not being able to fight her properly. I've yet to be able to talk to her without her trying to kill or capture me."

"Ok, so it might not be simple," Nami conceded. "But you've still got to give it the effort. You've got to tell her how you feel, and find out if she feels the same way. Sure, it's going to cause problems, but you need to face these problems together."

"Well…" The words choked in Zoro's mouth. He was barely able to believe what he had to ask her. The whole experience had already made him feel like a schoolchild. "How do I get her to like me?"

Nami grinned, but not with any nastiness. She was genuinely sympathetic to Zoro. "Just be there for her," she said softly. "It's not about doing the right actions or pressing the right buttons, you've just got to be able to make her happy."

Nami's eyes glazed over slightly. "If you really want a girl to like you, then you've just got to be able to put her first. You need to be able to make her smile," she muttered. "Whatever you do, you mustn't let anything make her cry…"

Suddenly, Nami stopped talking. The realisation hit her like a ton of bricks. For so long she had tried desperately not to see it, even when it was right in front of her. The emotions swirled inside her so furiously that she felt faint.

_Oh crap_, Nami realised with a mixture of dread and anticipation, _I'm in love with Luffy_.

* * *

Luffy groaned as he pulled himself out of bed. His stomach was growling angrily. Without the Gum Gum fruit, he couldn't eat in one sitting like he used to be able to, but his appetite was just the same. It meant that he had to get up every few hours just to get something to eat.

The captain yawned as he climbed out of the quarters. At this hour, everyone else was fast asleep. Zoro was snoring loudly, Usopp was talking in his sleep, while Sanji had a dreamy expression and was making kissing noises while wrapping his legs around his pillow.

The ship was quietly rocking on the waves while Luffy headed straight for the kitchen. He recalled last night, and his late night tutorial session with Sanji and Zoro. That had been a strange night. Despite all the explanations, it had left him with more questions than answers. _Sex was complicated_, he had decided finally.

As he walked out on to deck, it surprised him to see a dim light on in the kitchen, particularly since Sanji was still asleep. Luffy pushed the door open, only to see Nami staring at him expectantly.

The orange-haired woman looked nervous. She was sitting at the edge of her chair, tapping her fingers uncertainly. She was wearing short pyjama trousers revealing most of her legs, and a loose-fitting white t-shirt that draped low down her chest. Nami was staring at him with wide-eyed expectance.

"'Ello," Luffy greeted tiredly. "Are you hungry too?"

It took a long time for Nami to respond. "I wanted to talk," she said finally, her voice low.

"Oh," Luffy was a bit confused, but he nodded. "Ok, what about?"

Nami cleared her throat. "Luffy… how do you feel about me?"

He frowned. "You're my friend," he said simply. "What do you mean?"

"Do you care about me?" She asked insistently.

"Of course I do," he replied without a second's hesitation.

Slowly, Nami stood up and carefully approached. "Do you remember that night in Aluburna?" She questioned slowly. "On the balcony? We were so close, and do you remember what you said?"

Luffy nodded quietly, not sure where she was going with this questioning.

Nami was very close to him now, and carefully she placed her hands on his shoulders. "You said that you loved us more than your hat. You vowed that you would never let anything hurt me," Nami whispered, moving her hands downwards. Her heart was pounding so loudly it was difficult for her to hear anything else.

"So… please…" Nami muttered. She was now so close he could feel her breath on his face. "Tell me something… do you love _me_?"

There wasn't even any hesitation. "Of course," Luffy answered simply. "I love all of my friends."

Every second felt like an eternity. The word 'friends' hurt Nami worse than anything she had ever felt. Nami pulled away from him quickly. She had an expression of shock and hurt. Her eyes were filling up with tears.

"Nami…" Luffy asked with concern. He had a vague feeling that he had just said something wrong, but he wasn't sure what. "What's the matter? Are you in pain? Did someone –?"

"_Idiot_!" Nami screeched suddenly, her voice cracking through the sobs. Instantly, her hand flashed and she slapped Luffy's cheek with a sudden impact.

The force stung and knocked Luffy to the side. Nami was already charging out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The force blew out the candle as she left.

Luffy was standing in the dark, looking around with bewilderment, and wondering what he had done wrong.

_Girls are _complicated, he decided eventually.

* * *

With a hesitant knock, Luffy waited at the entrance to the women's room. There was a light on, but nobody was answering. After a few minutes of uncertain deliberation, Luffy finally entered the room.

The women's room was so much tidier than the men's. It was neatly spaced and adorned with cabinets, desks and a bar. Everyone's belongings were neatly sorted in chests and the walls were decorated with pictures and curtains. In the men's room, everything just stayed where it was dropped.

The room was strangely quiet. The room was lit by a single candle by Robin's bedside. The dark-haired woman was sitting in her bed, engrossed in a thick book, but she looked up as Luffy entered.

"Mr Captain," Robin said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Luffy shifted awkwardly. "I knocked," he said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I was too busy to hear," Robin motioned to the book. "What can I do for you?"

"I was looking for Nami."

"I haven't seen her tonight," Robin explained, gesturing around the otherwise empty cabin. "She never returned to her bed. I believe that Vivi is still practising with her new powers."

"Oh." Luffy was now out of ideas. He didn't have them very often. "Ok then."

Robin smiled curiously. "What do you need with Ms Navigator?"

He scratched his head. "I was going to apologise."

"Really? What about?"

"I'm not quite sure," Luffy admitted. "But I definitely think I must have done something wrong."

She just chuckled quietly. "Well, I hope you figure it out," Robin said kindly. "Goodnight, Mr Captain."

Just as Luffy was about to leave, he glanced backwards at the woman, who was returning to her book.

"What are you reading?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, just a romance," Robin smiled, holding up the cover. "It's quite good."

"A romance," Luffy repeated, looking suspicious. "Is that like a 'cookery' book?"

Robin giggled. "No," she replied. "It's a story of two star-crossed lovers. A classic, actually. I must have read this book a dozen times."

"Huh. I've never read it." Luffy couldn't think of a book he had read, to be honest.

She raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to?" She offered.

After a moment's deliberation, Luffy approached the woman. She shifted towards across the bed, allowing Luffy to sit down next to her. Robin flicked the book to page one, while Luffy comfortably leant against the woman.

She was warm and soft, and it made him feel content just lying against her. He grabbed a hold of the other side of the book, holding it between them as they began to read.

They only reached about five pages in before they both fell asleep next to each other.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**This was a fun chapter to write, please let me know how I did.**

**Next chapter: "Mock Town".**


	8. Chapter 8: Mock Town

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I probably don't own One Piece, but I haven't checked my emails recently.**

* * *

_**Previously: **_

_**Luffy escaped Alabasta after a near-death experience with a huge bounty and the Marines on their tail. Also, relationships on the ship are getting complicated…**_

* * *

**Chapter 8: Mock Town**

"Land ho!" Usopp called excitedly, his voice ringing through the entire ship. "Look everyone! There's land ahead! Land!"

Standing on top of crow's nest with his sniper goggles, Usopp was naturally the first one to see the dark mass of the island arise over the horizon, yet it wasn't long before the rest of the crew could see it too. Before long, the pirates were all on dock, leaning over the figurehead as they watched the island come in to shape.

"Land!" Chopper shouted cheerfully. "Finally, land!"

Nami glanced down at her Log Pose anxiously, but they were definitely heading to the right island. After two weeks at sea, the whole crew was stressed and eager to finally land. It had been a long detour to throw off the Marines, but the next island was finally in sight.

The island started to become bigger, until finally the outline of a port was clearly visible. The other ships were nothing more than specks on the horizon, but they quickly getting bigger.

"Wow!" Usopp exclaimed happily, rushing down the mast. "Not bad at all! It looks like a pleasant town!"

Luffy was already hanging off his seat gleefully, eagerly awaiting the town. If he was any further forward, he would fall into the ocean. "Full speed ahead, Merry!" Luffy shouted loudly, practically bouncing up and down.

Nami still couldn't even look at Luffy properly. Deep down, she knew that he was the exact same clueless idiot he had always been. She had tried to make the first move, yet Luffy never even realised a move had been made. It shouldn't have been so embarrassing considering the Luffy hadn't realised there has anything to be embarrassed about. Nami shouldn't have expected anything different.

Even so, she had hoped for… _more_ from him. She had barely even said a word to Luffy after that night. Instead, Nami had devoted herself to training with Zoro simply as a way to avoid thinking about her captain. As it turned out, an extreme training regimen was a great substitute for romance.

Next to her, Robin leant over the handrail, smiling faintly at the city. Robin was fitting into the crew nicely, and she had become particularly close to Nami. Even Vivi, who still treated her with suspicion, was at least civil now. Robin and Luffy were already halfway through their book, though they had taken to reading it together in private.

"Hey, it looks like a holiday resort!" Usopp was chattering, as the wooden buildings became closer. "I can't wait to…"

Usopp's voice trailed off as he focused on the ships docked at the harbour. "Umm…" He muttered uncertainly. "Those ships at the dock look a lot like pirate ships… or am I just worrying too much?"

Nami slapped him over the back of the head absentmindedly. "Don't be silly, Usopp," she said dismissively. "How could pirate ships dock so openly in such a big city?"

He was just about to agree with her, as slowly the sounds of the town started to reach their ship. The sounds of screaming, cursing, gunfire, and battle were unmistakable. It sounded like hell itself. At once, Usopp, Chopper, Carue and Nami started to huddle together in fear.

"Oh dear," Robin noted quietly, without any indication of shock. The sounds of murder didn't appear to faze her even slightly. "It seems like we've arrived in a pirate town. There is no law and order here."

There was a moment of silence while the shapes came into focus. Every single man in the town was carrying a weapon, and most were currently busy trying to kill someone else with that weapon. The town could have been mistaken for a warzone if it wasn't so disorganised.

"Well, we don't have to go inside, right?" Vivi reasoned uncertainly. "We just have to wait until the Log Pose settles, so there's no point in doing anything dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Zoro grinned evilly. His hand was already twitching over the handle of his sword. "Looks to me like a pretty fun town."

Nami glared at Zoro with annoyance. "This isn't going to go well…" She muttered with despair.

"Oh, come on, Nami," Luffy said with a grin that made her heart skip. The captain was just as excited. He had Smoker's old jitte slung over his back, and his dual knives in his belt. Luffy cracked his knuckles eagerly. "We've been at sea for _ages_. We need to have some _fun_."

Fifteen minutes later, Nami anchored the Going Merry some distance away from the town to avoid attention. By that time, both Luffy and Zoro were so eager for action that they were practically pacing the ship, before quickly jumping over the boat and setting off into town.

"Is it safe to let them go off like that?" Vivi asked uncertainly. They both had a dangerous glint in their eyes.

Nami shrugged. "It's fine," she sighed with defeat. "Not like there's any reason to keep a low profile in this town. They might as well blow off some steam."

The navigator glanced downwards, just as Robin was exiting the gangway. "Hey Robin!" Nami called loudly, jumping down to meet the other woman. "I need to go and buy a sword. Escort me into town."

The archaeologist looked amused, but nodded anyways. "Alright," she agreed. "I was going to try to find some information about this town, anyways."

Sanji seemed to levitate through the air as he jumped down to meet them. "Ah!" The chef called happily. "Two beautiful women walking together! It is my duty as a man to protect you against fiends that would smear your grace!"

Nami never even gave Sanji a second glance. "Vivi?" She called upwards to her friend. "Are you coming too?"

"Yes!" Sanji proclaimed eagerly. "Vivi should come too! All of the beautiful women should be together with me!"

The princess hesitated, and then shook her head. Around her, Chopper, Usopp and Carue were still trembling with nervousness and hiding behind the ship. "No," she said finally. "I want to stay here and practice some more."

She had been training a lot with her powers recently, and was definitely becoming better. Slightly disappointed, Nami just nodded. "Ok, then," Nami called farewell, as she started walk away with Robin and a skipping Sanji. "Be safe!"

Vivi waved goodbye, shouting loudly, "You too!"

Just as she said that, Usopp realised something. "Wait a minute…" The sniper muttered slowly. He, Vivi, Chopper and Carue were the only ones left on the Going Merry. "All of the strong people are gone! What if something happens to _us_?"

After that, Vivi started giggling while the other three began to run around with panic.

* * *

"Whoa, so many tough guys in this city!" Luffy exclaimed happily, watching a large wrestler slam another victim to the ground. The champion was laughing hysterically, already proclaiming himself the greatest.

"Yeah," Zoro agreed, grinning evilly. "Who do you want to beat up first?"

Luffy thought about it for a while. He was surrounded by big men carrying weapons and looking for a fight, after all. Still, Luffy's stomach was growling hungrily. "Nah, let's go get something eat first."

Reluctantly, Zoro agreed. "I think I saw a bar up this way."

Zoro pointed, and then started to walk in the complete wrong direction. Luffy followed witlessly. It would end up taking an hour and two laps of the village before they finally found the pub.

Despite their unassuming entrance, they were still noticed. A skinny, bedraggled man with ragged stubble on his chin, a long nose and a permanent stench of booze, pointed the pair out his companions.

"Oi…" The man muttered, scratching his head with the hand not holding a bottle of beer, while motioning to Zoro and Luffy. "Those two… have you seen them before?"

His companion, equally drunk, shook his head. "Those runts? Nah. Probably won't see them again either. Guys as scrawny as that don't last long in this town, Jobo."

Jobo frowned as he tried to remember. "I'm sure I've seen them before…" The drunk murmured. It must have been in the most recent newspaper. "…Did they have a bounty?"

Finally, realisation hit. "It's those two!" Jobo exclaimed, dropping his bottle of beer with shock. He remembered their bounties now – they had been ridiculously large bounties. He jumped to his feet in panic. "I've… I've got to tell Bellamy about this!"

His friend looked nervous. "Are you sure?" He warned. "You know that Bellamy and his gang have been extra murderous lately ever since _he_ arrived in town…"

The colour drained from Jobo paunchy face, but he shook his head. "I've still got to tell him…" Jobo muttered, before running off in a drunken stagger.

He wasn't the only one that made the realisation. Sitting in the middle of street, an extremely large man with a crooked nose and a scruffy black beard grinned as he looked down at two sheets of paper. The large man was wearing an open buttoned white shirt and a yellow sash around his waist, with his long shaggy hair half hidden under a black bandanna.

"Hmmm…" The man muttered with satisfaction, glancing down at the bounties. " 200 million – 'Straw Hat' Luffy… missing a straw hat, are we? How interesting… 'The Pirate Hunter' Zoro – 80 million…"

"Zehahahaha!" He pulled his head back and laughed loudly, startling everyone walking past him. "Oh, this is a lucky day! Those two will do perfectly!"

The man took a large bite of a cherry pie, munching it thoughtfully, totally unconcerned to the people watching him curiously. "Still…" He mused thoughtfully to himself. "I wonder… How lucky is _he_?"

Meanwhile, Zoro and Luffy were still walking, and Luffy was slowly starting to suspect that Zoro never knew where he was going. In truth, Zoro had absolutely no clue, but he still led the way confidently. Only Zoro was capable of combining a complete lack of direction with a pig-headed stubbornness that he was always right.

"We're heading towards the ocean," Luffy said finally. "There aren't any more buildings this way."

"No, it's definitely this way." Zoro replied firmly, starting to walk in a slight curve.

They were passing the docks now, and surrounded by drunks and violence. Neither Luffy nor Zoro seemed to care, but then their path was blocked by a pale man slumped across the ground. He was coughing nastily, and droplets of blood covered the walkway.

"Huh, you're really sick, old man," Luffy said simply.

Faintly, the man turned his head to look at the pair. His skin was pale and covered in rashes, while his skinny body was hidden by shrouds of black robes. Even his face was mostly covered by a black hat and white hair.

"How embarrassing…" The sickly man murmured through bloody coughs. "Excuse me, you two, would you be so kind as to help me up, please…?"

Zoro looked at the man sceptically. "You just don't want to pick yourself up, right?"

Nevertheless, he was blocking the path, so both Zoro and Luffy pulled him out of the way so he could rest up against the wall. Even his clothes felt sticky and disgusting, which made both of the pirates want a shower. Next to the sick man, there was a white horse collapsed on the ground, which was so motionless it might just have been dead.

"I have always been weak physically…!" He explained, almost apologetically, before collapsing into another fit of coughs.

The man reached inside his robes and brought out a basket of multi-coloured sweets. "As a token of my gratitude…" He offered. "Please, take one."

"Ah! Sweets!" Luffy exclaimed brightly, already grabbing a large handful. "Don't mind if I do."

"You're actually going to eat them?!" Zoro exclaimed, outraged, but Luffy was already stuffing his face and dropping the wrappers to the floor. Zoro shook his head in disgust, but the two of them were already walking away.

Behind them, the sickly man, more commonly known as Doc Q, looked curiously at the teenager that was still munching on the sugary sweets. Luffy had taken a very large handful of out of the basket, and eaten them all.

Slowly, Doc Q hunched over his basket and began to count the remaining ones. There had been fifty sweets in total, twenty-five of which were laced in poison and the other twenty-five were safe, all mixed together randomly. Luffy had picked up a handful of a couple dozen sweets.

Every single sweet Luffy had picked up had been poisoned.

"That kid…" Doc Q coughed with a pitying smile. "…is _really_ unlucky…!"

* * *

At the other side of town, Nami and Robin waked casually down the filthy street, drawing several lecherous glances as they walked. They were both very beautiful women, after all. Robin was long-legged and elegant, while Nami was slender and curvy. Every single drunk in the town was drooling at them longingly, while Sanji was left running around them in fury and kicking anyone that dared to make an inappropriate gesture.

Neither Robin nor Nami seemed to pay any attention to Sanji picking a fight with half the town on their behalf. Robin had bought a travel guide on the island, and was quietly reading as she walked.

"Anything interesting?" Nami asked eventually.

"A bit," Robin explained, not looking up from the book. "Apparently this is called Mock Town, so named by the explorer Jew Wall as it makes a 'mockery' of law and order. It is on the island of Jaya, a heavily forested spring island that has long been rumoured to contain the ruins of an ancient civilisation. There's actually quite an interesting legend surrounding this place…"

"Huh," Nami replied, not really paying attention. Around them, Sanji was flickering back and forth across the street, his feet flashing against anyone who looked perverted. Silently, Robin put her book away.

"You know, we should really stop him from making such a big scene," Robin said finally. "And you should both maybe wear a hood or something to keep a low profile. You do have bounties, after all."

Nami frowned. "Us? But you have a bounty of 79 million! Yours is much bigger than mine and Sanji's combined!"

Robin smiled. "Yes, but I received my bounty decades ago. Yours was just a couple of weeks ago. More people will be looking out for you two than for me."

The navigator shrugged. "So what? I'm sure you and Sanji could beat anybody that comes after us."

Robin deliberately didn't comment on the 'you and Sanji' bit. "I would still be careful," Robin warned. "In towns like this, your bounty means a lot. Rookies with large bounties attract a lot of attention, and we don't want a big name taking notice. Best just to be careful."

Reluctantly, Nami agreed. She then called over to Sanji and sweetly encouraged him not to make a scene. Later, Nami bought a hood to her distinctive hair, and gave Sanji a wide-brimmed hat to avoid attention. The chef was still left visibly twitching with fury with every wolf whistle that the girls received.

"So you're looking for a sword shop?" Robin stated after a few moments.

Nami nodded. "I can't keep borrowing Zoro's."

"Hmm…" The older woman muttered calmly. "You've been training a lot."

There was an edge to her question. "So?" Nami replied carefully.

Robin shrugged, not even glancing at Nami. "Nothing. I'm just curious why the sudden interest in swordsmanship."

"It's just a hobby." Nami said defensively.

Robin was quiet for a few seconds, wondering how far she should push the conversation. "Or is it a distraction?" The archaeologist asked finally.

The navigator didn't respond, and Robin gave up. She was still curious about Nami's feelings, but Robin wasn't so tactless to force the issue. The girls walked the rest of the journey in silence, barely even listening to Sanji's constant serenading.

* * *

Towards the east side of the city, Bellamy was in a foul mood. He and his gang had been kicked out of the Tropical Hotel, and ended up being forced to stay in some rundown hovel on the outskirts of the town. The pirates were all young and wearing expensive clothing, having become accustomed to being the princes of the town. No one was happy about recent developments, and there were several dead bodies and terrorized civilians to prove.

"Damn him!" Bellamy growled angrily, slamming a spring-loaded fist through a plaster wall. "Why did the boss kick us out of our own hotel?"

Bellamy the Hyena had been fuming for hours. It hadn't been a good day, and Bellamy wasn't used to having to restrain his anger. "We even robbed those monkey bastards of all their gold for him!" Bellamy ranted, pacing the room. "Yet he still just looked down at us!"

"Be quiet, Bellamy." 'Big Knife' Sarkies muttered with cold anger. The crew wasn't in a good mood at all. "If the boss hears you speaking like that, he'll kill us all."

Bellamy looked like he wanted to explode, but the pirate still kept his temper in check. Bellamy's respect for his boss was only matched by the fear of him.

There were a few minutes of silent anger, consisting mostly of him trying to figure out who to take his rage out on. Suddenly, the door to the motel burst open, and a drunken figure charged through, tripping over the doorway.

"Not a good time, Jobo!" Bellamy snarled dangerously.

At once, Jobo looked like he was about to wet himself. Still, he managed to splutter out the words, "This is important, Bellamy! You won't believe who I just saw in the town!"

* * *

It was nearly dusk by the time Zoro and Luffy finally found the tavern. The pub was overflowing with noise and activity, and the sound of drinking filled the air. As they approached, Luffy nearly collapsed as he clutched his stomach in agony.

"My chest hurts," the captain groaned with pain.

"That's what you get for eating sweets from a stranger," Zoro grumbled, forced to drag Luffy through the street by his feet. Zoro stomped through into the pub and pulled the moaning Luffy straight to the counter.

"Hey!" Zoro called to the bartender with irritation. "My friend has been poisoned! Give me your strongest ale to flush the poison from his system."

Luffy looked up weakly. "Will that work?" He asked sceptically.

Zoro nodded confidently, while the barman poured out a glass of rum doubtfully. "Trust me," the swordsman said firmly. "You've got to fight poison with poison. Ale can cure everything."

It was a testament to Luffy's cluelessness and faith in his friends that he actually accepted Zoro's explanation and started downing the glasses of rum. Zoro joined in happily, and before long they were both drinking heavily. Luffy was still in agonising pain from the poison, but his metabolism was strong enough that he started to burn through it.

Half an hour later, Luffy had recovered to the point where he no longer looked fatally ill, while around them the commotion in the pub started to ease as the patrons dwindled away. Zoro was trying to enjoy the ale, but he couldn't focus because of a large man with a black beard sitting in the corner of the pub. The swordsman really didn't like the way that man kept glancing at Luffy.

Shortly afterwards, there was a movement as three figures entered the pub. Zoro felt a flash of irritation as Sanji approached, caused by pure physical proximity. Nami and Robin entered the pub curiously

"Zoro!" Nami called happily, carrying two large shopping backs. "I bought a sword, check it out!"

She held out her new blade to him, and at once Zoro was interested. It was a short sword, smaller than what he was used to but well suited to Nami's size. Behind Nami, Sanji muttered something derisive about swords under his breath, looking seriously unhappy with Nami running to Zoro.

"It's pretty decent," he said critically, inspecting the edge. "It's a not a named sword, but it's good enough for someone at your level."

Curiously, the navigator glanced down at Luffy, who was still half unconscious and hanging over the counter. "Luffy!" Nami shouted in shock. "What happened to him?"

"Oh, he's fine," Zoro muttered dismissively, drinking another glass. "He was just poisoned."

"What?" She demanded with concern.

"It's fine." Zoro shrugged. "He's already burning through the poison. The ale helps."

"Hey, Nami…"Luffy murmured weakly, still clutching his painful stomach.

Nami sighed with exasperation, sitting down on a barstool. "Barman!" She called. "Can we have a meal, please? Our friend needs some food in his stomach."

Quietly, Robin and Sanji sat down too. The bartender served a large portion of cherry pie to each of them. Luffy complained that it was the worst meal he'd ever tasted, but he ate it up anyways and felt better for it. Around them, the pub gradually became quieter as the patrons left one by one, until eventually only the pirates and the bearded man in the corner were left.

The normally thriving pub was left uneasily silent. Even the bartender was twitching with nervousness. Robin and Zoro were the first to notice.

"There's something wrong here," Robin said quietly in a hushed whisper, careful not to draw attention. No one made any sudden movements, but they were all alert to the weird silence.

"I know," Zoro muttered darkly. "There's something happening outside."

* * *

Outside of the bar, a large crowd was gathering. The rumours had spread around the town like wildfire. It was dark, and the atmosphere was tense as the pirates and cutthroats all gathered outside of the pub. Wanted posters were spread among the group, but no one dared to move.

"Did you hear…?" A man whispered in a hushed tone. "A man with a 200 million bounty!"

"That's ridiculous! I've never seen such a huge bounty before!"

"What could he have done to be worth 200 million?"

"Yet he's just a scrawny kid!"

"The rest of his crew are in there too – they've all got big bounties as well…"

Nobody moved for a while, but there was an unspoken agreement that they were all waiting for a person. After a couple of minutes, Bellamy the Hyena finally arrived.

Bellamy was a tall man, broad shouldered and well-muscled. Normally, his face was twisted in a mocking grin, but this time he was unusually solemn as he stomped his way into the pub. He was flanked by his crew, all wearing furs and expensive clothing. Behind them, the rest of the pirates followed cautiously.

Bellamy kicked the doors open fearlessly, crossing his arms as he stared at Luffy critically.

"Are you the 200 million boy?" He demanded finally, all the while his men took up positions around the pub.

"This isn't good…" The bartender muttered with fear, backing away carefully.

"Someone's looking for you, Luffy," Zoro muttered, taking a sip of ale but his eyes were sharp.

"What is it?" Luffy asked Bellamy slowly. The atmosphere in the room was tense.

Bellamy stomped over to the bar. He was so tall that he towered over Luffy. "Give me a glass of your best wine," Bellamy demanded. "And give the kid whatever he wants."

Hesitantly, the bartender complied. Bellamy took a seat next to Luffy. "Here, let's drink," he offered.

"Ah, thanks," Luffy laughed, taking a sip of the ale. "Shishishi! You're a good guy after all!"

Luffy never even manage to swallow anything, before suddenly Bellamy moved with a flash. The large man grabbed the back of Luffy's head and slammed him face first through the counter savagely. The bar exploded into splinters.

Instantly, Zoro drew his swords. Nami exclaimed in shock. Every single pirate in the pub had a weapon drawn.

"I hate punks like you the most," Bellamy snarled viciously, still sitting down and glaring at Luffy's body on the ground. "Do you think you're the first rookies to try and fake a wanted poster for the fame? I bet you think you're really clever, putting such a ridiculous number as 200 million…"

The fury glinted in Bellamy's eyes. The veins throbbed on his forehead. "Trash like you have no place in the New Age of Piracy. Allow me to teach you what a real pirate is…"

The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. The straw hats were instantly ready for a fight, but the Bellamy pirates were surrounding them ominously. 'Big Knife' Sarkies was at the front of the crowd, swinging his huge dagger threateningly. Without a word, Luffy pulled himself up and brushed his vest down.

It was seconds away from a fight. Nervously, Nami tried to reason with Bellamy. "Hey mister!" Nami protested. "We're not looking for any trouble, we–"

"Well you've found it!" Bellamy's eyes bulged angrily. He swung a furious backhanded strike straight at Nami. "Get out of my way, bitch!"

Nami barely had time to duck. In a flash, Luffy was suddenly standing in between them, grabbing Bellamy's arm with a grip of iron.

"What did you just call her?" Luffy asked in a dangerously quiet voice. The mood became murderous.

"I have a very _short_ temper when it comes to people insulting my friends," Luffy muttered in a low voice.

The killing intent streaming off him was enough to cause everyone in the room to shiver. Luffy had suddenly turned unnaturally cold.

Zoro sheathed his swords; he wouldn't be needing them here.

"I called her a bitch," Bellamy smirked arrogantly. "What are you going to do about it, punk?"

Luffy was quiet for a few seconds. When he raised his head, his eyes _shone_. In the corner of the room, the man with the black beard grinned understandingly.

"You have ten seconds to apologise to her, and then leave," Luffy said simply, without any emotion. "Otherwise, I'm going to kill you."

There were three seconds of shocked silence, followed by four seconds of laughter. By the eighth second, Bellamy drew a knife and stabbed it towards Luffy.

At the tenth second, Luffy _blurred_.

Bellamy was left slashing at nothing but air. Luffy was suddenly standing next to Bellamy, and he wrapped his hands around Bellamy's throat before tightening quickly. Everyone heard Bellamy's neck snap with a sickening crack.

The silence dropped over the pub like a concrete block. Sarkies was left so speechless his knife clattered to the ground. Bellamy's limp body littered the floor. Even Luffy's crew were staring at him with amazement.

"Leave," Luffy ordered quietly. "_Now_."

Wordlessly and very quickly, everyone else in the pub seemed to evaporate out of the door. They barely even made a noise as they fled. Only 'Big Knife' Sarkies was left standing alone, staring at Luffy with a stuttering mouth.

"What…How…?" The first mate stammered helplessly. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you know who we work for? Do you know who is on this island _right now_?"

"_Leave_," Luffy repeated, in a tone that made it clear he wouldn't ask again.

Without any conscious thought, Sarkies' legs seemed to just carry him away. He nearly tripped over a table and was practically crawling out of the door. There was utter silence in the pub. Nobody dared to breathe.

"Luffy…" Nami muttered finally, her voice thick with concern. Her captain was showing no visible reaction to just killing a man. The rest of his crew was staring at him with various degrees of shock.

"It's fine," Luffy replied simply, shrugging his shoulders. "I told you that I wouldn't let anybody hurt you."

There was another awkward silence, but then it was broken by raucous laughter from the corner of the room.

"_Zehahahaha_!" The man with the black beard laughed boisterously. "_Zehahahaha! Brilliant_!"

Suddenly, everybody turned to stare at him. Luffy felt his knuckles clench.

"You…" Zoro growled, drawing his swords. "You've been stalking us all evening. What's your problem?"

He was practically bent over in furious laughter. "Oh, I'm just curious," he replied through fits of laughter, holding up Luffy's wanted poster. "It makes much more sense now. Oh, and the name's Marshall D. Teach, by the way."

A flicker of realisation crossed Robin's face. "_D._…" She muttered under her breath.

"Don't get me wrong; I'm not judging," Teach held up his hands innocently. "It is the duty of every captain to protect his crew. And that loser had it coming."

Teach spat over Bellamy's dead body derisively. "The 'New Age' that those guys keep babbling is all bullshit," Teach smirked. "The only reason I never killed him myself because he was never worth it."

Luffy just stared silently. It was a long time before he spoke. "Come on, guys," Luffy said finally. "Let's get back to the ship."

Just as he started to walk away, Teach shouted out, "You know, I recognise your eyes!"

Luffy stopped instantly, not even turning around. Teach continued, "You think I don't know the look of a man who's stared into death itself?" He smirked. Luffy didn't react. "How does feel? You're walking around with a hole in your heart, aren't you? Everything feels exactly the same, but it's all different now, isn't it?"

Unwillingly, Luffy's hand moved to his chest, feeling the rough scar where Crocodile's hook had pierced his skin.

Marshall D. Teach leant back on his chair arrogantly. "Men with a '_destiny'_ don't die like others do," Teach sneered. "You either die smiling or not at all."

Everybody else was looking confused. Robin was completely quiet. Nami touched Luffy's shoulder hesitantly. "Luffy, what's he talking about?" She asked uncertainly.

"It's not important," Luffy replied dismissively, but his voice was hesitant. His normally happy attitude had vanished.

They were just about to leave, when instantly the exit became blocked by three huge figures, each as large as Teach was. There was a man who seemed to be made completely out of chest muscles, wearing a wrestler mask and black shirt – the wrestler from before, Luffy remembered. Right behind him was the sickly old man, still covered in black robes and walking with a slouch, but now he didn't seem so weak. They flanked by a man with a long face and a black cloak, carrying the largest rifle Luffy had ever seen.

Zoro's swords were out with a flash. The wrestler cracked his knuckles with a large grin. All three of them had a dangerous aura.

"Are you going to try something?" Luffy asked after a few seconds, his hands dropping to the knives at his belt.

Teach seemed to think about it for a long time. "_Nah_," He said finally, drawing a cherry pie from his pants and swallowing a large mouthful. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey!"

With that, the other three men simply stepped to one side to let the pirates pass. Zoro never sheathed his swords as they walked. Sanji eyed them all cautiously, looking for any sign of betrayal. Still, nobody made a move.

As they left the pub, a thunderous "_Zehahahaha_" was heard echoing across the buildings.

* * *

"I don't get it, boss," Jesus Burgess, the wrestler, complained a few minutes after Luffy and his crew left the building. "We've been waiting here for weeks looking for a target with a high enough bounty. That was the whole plan, right? That guy was worth _200 million_, he was perfect!"

"It's true," Doc Q agreed in a wheezy voice. "I've never met anyone with such back luck before. Why didn't we capture them?"

Marshall D. Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard, simply shrugged. "Ah… we'll find someone else," the captain said firmly. "But I don't want to touch _him_."

"And why not?" The sniper, Van Augur, asked in a quiet voice.

Blackbeard grinned brightly, revealing several missing teeth. "Because of his _eyes_," he explained vaguely. "The longer you stare into death, the longer death stares at you. That poor sod is completely out of luck."

He took another large bite of cherry pie, laughing as the crumbs sprinkled across the floor. "That kid has been left with a cursed fate."

* * *

_Meanwhile, on the Going Merry…_

Vivi sighed as she looked out over moonless sky. It was dark and hard to see properly, but in the distance there were dark clouds, almost pitch black, creeping over the horizon. A storm was coming, she thought as shivers crept down her spine.

It had been a boring day for her. Usopp and Chopper had been busy fixing the ships, while Vivi kept on trying to control her sandstorms. _Crocodile had made it seem so easy_, she thought bitterly.

The most exciting thing for her had been when they'd glimpsed a monkey-like man on a ship, singing about salvage. Even so, Vivi couldn't escape the feeling that bad things were approaching. She really wished she knew how Luffy was doing.

"Are you sure this is place?" A quiet voice asked, coming from the undergrowth. Vivi froze suddenly, staying completely quietly. She could hear footsteps approaching the ship.

"Are you doubting my goddamn nose?" Another voice replied outrageously. This voice was louder, more obnoxious. There was the sound of someone sniffing heavily. "Aye, I'm sure. It's in this goddamn place!"

The footsteps were getting louder. Vivi could hear at least two sets. _Thieves? Murderers?_ She thought with panic. She wanted to call out to Usopp and Chopper, but she didn't want to give away her position. In the dark, it was so hard to see.

Instead, she crept closer, tiptoeing down the gangway and hiding behind the corner, trying to get a glimpse of the intruders. Gradually, she managed to make out the outline of two figures in the gloom, staring at the ship.

One of them was nearly a giant. He stood at least seven-foot tall, and nearly just as broad across the shoulders. His arms were like tree trunks, and he wore heavy boots and a tank top, while looking at the Going Merry with a dark scowl.

"What a goddamn piece of junk of a ship," the large man muttered. Vivi peeked around the corner of the gangway, and she could see he had a broad chin, thick eyebrows and a very large nose. He kept on sniffing the air like a hound.

The other figure was practically his opposite. The second person was so skinny he looked like a twig, and he wore a pinstriped suit and delicate glasses. His shoes were polished to perfection, and his hair had been smoothed down neatly. He reminded Vivi of some sort of banker.

"Let's just find it and leave," the slender man said in exasperated voice. "I don't want to spent any longer on this rock than we have to."

The large man sniffed again. "It's definitely close," he confirmed after a few seconds. "_Really_ goddamn close."

What are they looking for? Vivi wondered silently. Chopper and Usopp were in danger, and she had to warn them. _I'm not as weak as I was_, Vivi told herself firmly, I_ ate the Sand Sand fruit – I'm stronger now_.

Quietly, Vivi took a step backwards. Then her heart nearly stopped as she bumped into something.

_There's someone standing behind me!_

With a loud squeal, Vivi flipped around to face the man who had crept up on her. She heard the footsteps as the other two quickly ran over to her, and she heard the slamming of a door as Chopper and Usopp came charging out of the Going Merry.

The man right in front of Vivi was tall and muscled. He wore a dark vest that was practically falling to pieces, and his hair was pitch black and shaggy. He had rough stubble covering his face, and his eyes were so heavily shadowed it looked like he was wearing eyeliner. Overall, he might have even been handsome, it wasn't for his eyes. His pupils were as small as pinpricks, and the white of his eyes seemed to bulge with insanity.

_This was a dangerous man_, every instinct in Vivi's body screamed.

"Hello, beautiful," he smirked.

At once, Vivi pulled out her Peacock Slashers, the sharp edges of the disks glinting in the moonlight. There were hurried footsteps as Usopp and Chopper charged outside, followed by a squealing and frenzied Carue. Usopp had his slingshot at the ready and loaded, and Chopper was carrying a bright torch which illuminated the scene in flickering flames.

Chopper's body seemed to shimmer like water as he transformed smoothly. He grew heavier and as tall as a man while he turned into his Human form, bulging with muscles. All cuteness was gone. "What are you doing to Vivi?" The doctor demanded, in a deeper voice.

The man wearing eyeliner just laughed and folded his arms. The large man looked surprised.

"Now there's a goddamn rare one!" The large man mused, sniffing the air curiously. "Definitely Zoan… Is it the Ape Ape fruit? No…" He took another deep sniff. "Oh! It's the Human Human fruit! Goddamn, _there's_ a novelty…"

_He can smell Devil fruits?_ Vivi wondered with shock, backing away slowly to join Usopp and Chopper. Usopp was trembling from fear, but strangely he was holding his slingshot perfectly steady.

"Hey! Hey!" The slender man exclaimed in a soothing tone of voice, motioning for everyone to stand down. "We're not looking for any… _unpleasantness_." He turned to his companions. "Please, just let me handle this," he reasoned, straightening down his suit.

The large man just folded his arms. The man with the crazy eyes never stopped smirking. With an apologetic smile, the slender man extended a hand to Vivi.

"You must be Nefertari Vivi?" He guessed. Vivi hesitantly shook the hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Isaac, my large companion over here is Berrit." He motioned to the giant who stood sniffing the air curiously. "And this is… Marcus." Isaac introduced with a touch of hesitation, motioning to the man wearing eyeliner. "Don't let their gruff appearances fool you, we're all really nice people when you get to know us." Isaac smiled reassuringly.

Slowly, Usopp relaxed a bit, unleashing a large sigh of relief. Chopper seemed to calm down too. Vivi looked at Isaac carefully. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"We're business associates of your father's," Isaac explained warmly. "You see, me and my companions are… _merchants_. As a matter of fact, we specialise in the acquisition and selling of Devil fruits."

Vivi frowned. "But what are you doing _here_?"

Isaac scratched his head with a nervous chuckle. "Well, it's a funny story actually," Isaac explained. "You see, a few weeks ago we were in Aluburna, on business, to pick up the Sand Sand fruit from the recently… deceased Sir Crocodile. While we were there, your father approached us to purchase a Devil fruit."

"Now then, due to an _unfortunate_ labelling error…" Isaac shot a dirty glance towards Marcus, who looked sheepish. "… we accidently supplied your father with the wrong Devil fruit, and gave him Sand Sand fruit instead."

His voice was calm and soothing, like a banker explaining the details of opening an account. "Do you see the trouble?" He said apologetically. "The king only _paid_ for a standard, random ability Devil fruit, but he ended up receiving an _exceedingly_ expensive and rare Logia Devil fruit. We're simply here to… resolve the transaction."

She didn't respond. Around her, Chopper and Usopp were silent too. Isaac continued. "Now, we really don't want any unpleasantness. You father is a respected customer, and this was our mistake," Isaac said reasonably. "That is why we are quite happy to refund all the money the king paid, plus compensation, or even supply a replacement Devil fruit!" He offered kindly, before adding, in a firmer tone of voice, "…"But I'm afraid that we do need the Sand Sand fruit _back_."

Vivi was quiet for a long time. Slowly, Usopp started to load up his slingshot again. "You can't," Vivi said finally. "I've already ate it."

Isaac smiled woodenly, but his eyes were anything but happy. "Oh dear," he said finally. "That is a shame."

There were a few awkward seconds of silence. Then, quick as flash, the Berrit moved. Despite his huge size, he was remarkably graceful as he jumped the distance between them. Suddenly, Berrit wrapped hands as large as dinner plates around Chopper's and Usopp's heads, before slamming their skulls face first into the ground.

Vivi reacted quickly. She threw up her Peacock Slashers and swiped through the air, but then there was somebody standing right next to her. She never even saw him move, but Marcus was instantly next to her, still smirking even as he grabbed her arms.

She tried to phase into sand. Her outline shimmered and grains of sand dripped from her body, but Vivi couldn't even pull her hand away before Marcus suddenly wrapped a pair of handcuffs around her wrists.

She felt her hands become instantly numb, and the sand vanished. _Seastone handcuffs_, Vivi thought with panic.

"Sorry about this, beautiful," Marcus smiled a psychotic grin, drawing a large knife out of his belt. "But we need that fruit back. Looks like we're going to have to get _unpleasant_…"

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Yes – Isaac, Berrit and Marcus are OCs that I made up. I don't use OCs very often, but these ones are needed for the plot. There aren't any existing characters that I could have used, yet I needed some antagonists.**

**Still, I hope that I've developed their characters enough to be forgiven.**

**The three of them are Devil fruit hunters. If it's not obvious; Berrit is the Devil fruit tracker, Isaac is the salesman, while Marcus is the psychopath that kills the current Devil fruit eaters...**

**Next chapter: Things get violent – "The Devil Hunters"...**


	9. Chapter 9: The Devil Hunters

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still do not own One Piece, but not through lack of trying...**

* * *

**Previously:**

**The pirates recently arrive in Mock Town on the island of Jaya, and have a very unpleasant stay.**

**While Luffy and the others are away, Vivi is approached by three men, who are seeking the Sand Sand fruit. The Sand Sand fruit that she has already eaten, and that will only reincarnate again when she dies...**

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Devil Hunters**

* * *

Tashigi jammed the speaker of transponder snail to her ear, trying to listen to the report despite the noise of the men doing drills in the background. The battleship was cutting through the waves like a leviathan, all the while the marines scattered around the deck. Every cannon had been loaded and readied. Every blade was sharpened and every rifle was cleaned.

This time, Smoker would not allow the pirates to escape. The deadline was getting closer. A date had already been set for Smoker's and Tashigi's court-martial, and it didn't look hopeful. A Vice-Admiral was already heading from Headquarters to capture Monkey D. Luffy personally. The only way that their career would survive is if the pirates did not.

The captain was on the prow of the ship, practising his rock-balancing with his brow furled in concentration. Captain Hina was at the other side, running the men through their drills. After a few minutes, Tashigi hung up the transponder snail and rushed over to Smoker's side.

"Captain!" Tashigi called. "There's news! The Straw Hat pirates have been spotted on Mock Town, on the island of Jaya."

He nodded, not looking away from his rocks. "We're close," he said eventually. "I had hoped to catch them before Jaya, but it seems they've slipped past us. Never mind, we can be in Mock Town by nightfall and cut them off in the harbour. Pass the orders onto the helmsmen."

Tashigi hurried off. As she left, Hina sat down carefully next to Smoker. "You know there's going to be a riot if we bring a Marine battleship into a pirate town," she said with concern.

"We don't have a choice," Smoker countered, but he was worried too. The situation was rapidly falling out of his control.

Tashigi ran back to his side quickly. "Course has been set, sir!" She confirmed. "We've got a good wind behind us too."

Smoker cleared his throat. "Lieutenant, has there been any word of the Straw Hat's new epithet?" He asked with a frown.

She shook her head. "No, sir."

"Hmm…" The captain grunted. "Damn Headquarters, it takes them ages to do anything."

Tashigi hesitated. "Although there was one other bit of information," Tashigi said finally. "But I'm not sure about it. Apparently, someone else was spotted in Mock Town. A man named _Dan Marcus_…"

Instantly, Smoker's gaze darkened. "_That_ bastard…" he growled under his breath.

Tashigi looked confused. Next to him, Hina looked just as annoyed. "Who, sir? I tried to search for him, but I couldn't find a bounty or anything."

"That's because he's not a pirate," Smoker explained sourly. "He's a _Devil fruit hunter_." He practically spat the words out. "He sells Devil fruits to everyone, primarily the Marines, and in return we have to turn a blind eye to his more… violent tendencies."

She frowned. "Is he dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" Smoker scoffed. "The man is an utter _psychopath_."

* * *

The pirates walked through the town in silence, with Luffy leading the way and trying very hard not to turn around. The inhabitants of Mock Town gave them a wide berth, and the moonless night was gravely silent as they exited the town back towards the Going Merry.

They were just passing through the forests of Jaya, when finally Nami could take it no more.

"Luffy…" She asked quietly. "What was that man talking about?"

The captain didn't respond straight away. The rest of the crew was quiet, but completely focused on Luffy's answer.

"It's not important," he replied finally. It was the best answer he could come up with. Truth was, what he was feeling was hard to put into words.

Nami hesitated, choosing her next question carefully. "Luffy… ever since Alabasta… have you been feeling alright?"

He simply shrugged, careful not to meet her eyes.

Nami looked like she wanted to ask more questions. Her eyes darted around the others uneasily. She had never even imagined Luffy killing a man, even one like Bellamy, so easily. Still, Robin placed a hand on her shoulder, gently advising her not to ask anything more.

They barely made it another dozen steps when suddenly a shrill shriek split the air. They all recognised the voice and the direction.

"That's Vivi!" Sanji shouted with panic, and instantly started running.

Luffy was faster.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Vivi screamed, trying to thrash against her captor. The Seastone handcuffs were on tight, and Marcus' grip was iron.

"Don't struggle now, beautiful," Marcus said, almost soothingly, while lifting her body roughly over his shoulder. She kicked as hard as she could, but he didn't seem to care. "Let's not make it any worse than it has to be."

Behind her, Berrit was busy making quick work of Usopp and Chopper. The large man was phenomenally strong and hit hard. Vivi heard the frenzied quacking as Carue tried to charge Berrit, followed by a dull thud and the sound of Carue dropping to the ground.

Isaac looked mildly annoyed with the situation, but didn't say anything.

Vivi's heart was racing. Her vision started to blur. She started screaming, but nobody seed to care. Marcus was whistling happily even as he carried her away over his shoulder, twirling his knife absent-mindedly.

Through her fuzzy vision, Vivi glimpsed the limp bodies of her friends, yet they were quickly swallowed by the darkness. She was squirming and thrashing madly. She tried to even twist and bite Marcus' ear off. Her heart was pounding furiously, the dread seeped into her bones.

"_Vivi_!" A thunderous voice shrieked, and her heart fluttered. She saw a rapidly approaching figuring flying across the ground, leaving a dust trail behind him.

"_Luffy_!" Vivi shouted in pure relief. Marcus stopped walking, but didn't look even slightly concerned. Luffy was running furiously towards them, and getting closer quickly.

"Who's this joker?" He asked finally, glancing towards Isaac.

"Monkey D. Luffy, aka 'Straw Hat' Luffy," Isaac answered in a bored drawl. "Although he does seem to be missing a straw hat. A pirate, worth 200 million."

Marcus simply scoffed. His grip on Vivi didn't slacken one bit.

"What are you doing with Vivi?" Luffy bellowed, not slowing down one bit. He was instantly so angry his eyes were practically glowing red.

"Listen, kid!" Marcus called out dismissively. Luffy was getting much closer now, and not stopping. "I've got no business with you! I'm just taking beautiful here and then I'll be on my –"

That was the last thing he managed to say before suddenly Luffy's fist collided with his face. The impact caused a small shockwave. Marcus' body blurred before he flew backwards, smashing through nearby trees.

"Vivi!" Luffy instantly had his arms around her, catching her as she fell from Marcus' grasp. "Are you alright? Who are these guys?"

The princess just hugged him tightly, gasping for air too deeply to do anything other than hold him and stammer useless. Luffy held her closely, but his eyes focused intently on Isaac and Berrit.

Neither of them sighed even slightly shocked by Marcus' sudden disappearance. As a matter of fact, Berrit was sniggering to himself, while Isaac was rubbing his eyes with exasperation.

"We're Devil fruit hunters," Isaac explained slowly. All former civility was gone. "We're after the Sand Sand fruit. We're going to take the princess here to some deserted island, slit her throat, and then catch the Devil fruit as it reincarnates." There wasn't a hint of emotion in his voice. "And you, Monkey D. Luffy, have just made the stupidest and most painful mistake of your life."

Luffy looked between the two of them uncertainly, but neither of them were making a move. "Vivi," he said in a hushed voice. "Run in that direction; the others will be coming shortly. I'll stay here and take care of these two –"

There was a sudden crash from the nearby trees. The collapsed tree trunks shoved out of the way. Isaac was looking at Luffy almost pityingly.

"That's it!" An enraged voice screamed. Marcus emerged from darkness, pushing a huge tree trunk to the side with one hand. He was angry, but otherwise looked completely unharmed. "Don't you have any _manners_? What sort of man punches a guy when he's talking?"

His clothes were dirty and covered in twigs, but there wasn't even a mark of his skin from Luffy's vicious punch. Marcus' eyes glinted in darkness.

"Vivi, _run_," Luffy whispered, before letting an unwilling Vivi go. Marcus was walking forward slowly, not seemingly in any rush. In an instant, Luffy was charging through the air. His muscles bulging and his arm pulled back in a furious arc, like a gun ready to explode…

Yet there was no impact. Luffy's fist just stopped inches away from Marcus' smirking face, while the pain jarred his arm.

"Is that it?" Marcus said sceptically. "Is this seriously what 200 million is worth? The Marines are just throwing money away nowadays."

Luffy recoiled in shock, clutching his fist. His knuckles were bleeding heavily, even though they never collided with anything. Every nerve in his hand was screaming in pain.

"What the –" Luffy exclaimed in agony. Marcus just kept on smirking. The insanity in his eyes was glowing brightly now.

"_I_ hunt _Logias _for a living," Marcus explained with a sociopathic grin. "Did you really expect me _not_ to have a seriously powerful Devil fruit?"

He was giggling now, a mad little chuckle as he slowly lifted his hand.

"Allow me to show you what real power is…" he muttered, just before he punched forward.

It shouldn't have been a powerful blow. It was barely more than a casual swipe. His hand was moving slowly, and his fist didn't even get anywhere near Luffy. Still, as soon as Marcus' arm extended, the air around him seemed to shimmer.

Suddenly, everything exploded, and Luffy flew backwards like a rag doll. Even the ground exploded from the shockwave. Luffy's body disappeared into the distance and collided in the forest with a dull thud.

Marcus was already starting to slowly walk after him. "You two take care of beautiful here," he ordered to Berrit and Isaac. He was smiling like a maniac consistently. "I'm going to go have some _fun_."

Isaac sighed disappointedly, but not particularly surprised. Marcus disappeared into the woods, leaving Vivi looking around the scene with absolute horror.

Berrit was standing above her now, with Isaac by her side. The Seastone cuffs were still tight around her wrists.

"Now then, princess," Isaac said kindly. "Let's not make this any more difficult than necessary. Why don't you just come with us, and…"

His voice trailed off as he glanced at the group that was running towards them. Sanji was leading the charge, looking so furious he was practically on fire, but Zoro was right behind him.

"Well, this is just goddamn brilliant," Berrit grouched, cracking his knuckles and preparing for a fight. "Things are never goddamn simple, are they?"

* * *

Luffy landed into the forest so hard that he crashed through several trees, skidding across the ground, and caused a small crater through the bramble. Around him, several birds erupted from the branches with a weird chirping noise.

Luffy knew that he had broken bones, but, weirdly, he couldn't feel any pain. That hadn't been a punch. It felt like his body had been repeatedly brutalised by a dozen sledgehammers in the span of a second. His head was spinning so quickly it was hard to focus on anything.

_What the hell was that guy?_ Luffy thought in a frenzied panic, _what sort of power did he have?_

In the darkness, Luffy could hear whistling. It was a weirdly upbeat, jovial tune that spilt through the night, followed by the sound of footsteps. Luffy's body screamed in agony as he tried to move. His muscles felt like they had been torn to shreds. Finally, he managed to stand up, panting for breath as he pulled both of the knives on his belt.

_I should be stronger than this_, he thought grimly, _I would be stronger if I still had the Gum Gum fruit_…

"Are you still alive, pirate?" Marcus' voice called, as casual as if he were walking in the park. "Come on, I expected more than _this_."

The man came into view. His eyes seemed to glint in the darkness. Luffy didn't even hesitate, and responded by flinging one of his blades straight at Marcus' face.

The knife didn't even get close. Marcus never even flinched. Instead, as soon as the knife approached him, it seemed to hit an invisible barrier and drop to the ground. The metal blade shattered into pieces.

"As if," Marcus sounded bored. He just kept on walking to Luffy, his hands in his pockets.

Luffy's teeth gritted. This man was going to kill Vivi. He refused to let that happen. With every ounce of strength he had, Luffy turned around and wrapped his arms around a nearby tree trunk, screaming with the exertion. After a futile struggle, the massive tree broke with a colossal groan and lifted out of the ground in a shower of dirt, leaves and brambles. Marcus didn't even look impressed as Luffy heaved it upwards and slammed the tonnes of wood directly on to Marcus' head.

The tree hit the ground so hard that the earth shook. Luffy panted with satisfaction, but that was short-lived. There was sudden creaking of wood being splintered, before half the tree seemed to burst open. Marcus casually stepped out of debris in a shower of wood chips. His tattered clothes were even more filthy, but the man never looked hurt at all.

The shock left Luffy momentarily paralysed, and then Marcus darted forward with surprising speed. In an instant, Marcus' hand was around Luffy's throat. Luffy tried to strike with his second knife, but Marcus simply grabbed his wrist.

There was a sickening crack as Marcus tightened his grip on Luffy's wrist slightly. The knife dropped to the ground. Luffy started screaming.

"You know, I just realised something," Marcus said, conversationally. "I never introduced myself, did I? How incredibly rude of me."

He tightened his grip around Luffy's neck slightly. "I was born Dan Marcus, but I have another name as well," he smirked. "They call me '_The Demonic'_…"

With that, he kicked upwards and his foot collided with Luffy's stomach. The air around him started to shimmer. Suddenly, everything exploded and Luffy was rocketing backwards, shooting through the forest. Luffy crashed straight through three trees before barrelling into a house on the outskirts of Mock Town. Blood splattered the ground.

Marcus was whistling again as started walking after Luffy.

* * *

Zoro and Sanji led the charge, forcing Isaac and Berrit backwards away from Vivi and the ship. Nami instantly ran to Vivi side and tried to use the sword to force off the Seastone handcuffs, while Robin stood at the back, observing the duo cautiously.

Five seconds later, Usopp and Chopper recovered and joined the fight. Usopp was beaten and bruised but had a surprisingly monstrous amount of stamina, and the sniper quickly loaded up explosive rounds into his slingshot. Chopper recovered quickly as well, staying in his Heavy point form, but he had a rumble ball close to hand.

The seven pirates surrounded the two Devil fruit hunters threateningly. Neither of them looked particularly worried.

"Well, this is unfair," Isaac said finally, casually removing his glasses. He had weirdly bright blue eyes. "Seven against two seems like very poor sportsmanship. Can't we just discuss this like gentleman?"

No one answered. Zoro's swords seemed to growl angrily. Sanji was almost bursting with rage. Isaac just stood completely calmly, yet his eyes appeared to glow softly.

"I guess that's a no, then?" Isaac muttered. "Still, look at this from our perspective – we're just trying to do our jobs. I mean, the Sand Sand fruit belonged to us originally. We're well within our right to take back our property."

At that, Sanji finally snapped. The chef spun around and launched forward with an arcing kick, but someone he ended up going in the wrong direction. Sanji ended up kicking towards Zoro, which seemed to surprise both of them.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zoro growled, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"I…" Sanji seemed confused. "I don't know! I was trying to kick _him_!"

At the same time, Chopper transformed in to his Walk Point and charged, his reindeer horns glinting. However, Chopper galloped in the complete wrong direction, almost colliding headfirst into a nearby tree.

"What's going on here?" Nami exclaimed, but she was suddenly blinking a lot. She was feeling very dizzy suddenly.

Usopp tried to fire off an explosive round, but as soon as he realised it he realised that he was aiming at the wrong place. He blinked several times, but everything seemed… wrong.

Isaac never even flinched. He stood completely calm. His eyes were practically pulsing now.

"It's him…" Robin realised finally. She was blinking a lot too, and swaying uncertainly. "He's got some sort of power…"

Sanji looked around nervously. He was trying to feel around his surroundings, but tripping a lot. It was like all of his perceptions had been inverted. Sanji stared at Isaac, or at least, he stared at where he thought Isaac was. "You…" The chef growled. "Are you… _hypnotising_ us?"

Isaac just smiled. "Hypnotising?" He mused. His eyes shimmered eerily. "Are you kidding? I can't do creepy stuff like _that_."

He started to walk forward slowly. Sanji tried to stop him, but ended up hitting nothing but air.

"This is the power of the Daze Daze fruit," Isaac said with an arrogant grin. "Right now, I'm simply… _altering_ your senses a bit. I'm affecting your depth perception, your hand-eye coordination, your sense of direction."

Usopp loaded up another round. Isaac looked at the sniper doubtfully. "Are you _sure_ you want to do that?" He said with a raised eyebrow. "After all, how can you be sure at what you're _actually_ aiming at? You might hit any of your friends…."

The sniper hesitated uncertainly. The dizziness was stronger now, and everything just seemed wrong. Usopp's hand shook with doubt.

"Now, then…" Isaac continued, looking down at Vivi. "I don't want to fight. That is why we're simply going to take the princess here and lea–"

Suddenly, he was interrupted by a slashing noise. Zoro was charging at him, the three blades cutting through the air. The attack took Isaac completely by surprise, and he barely managed to dodge backwards…

"How…?" Isaac gasped, forced to retreat under Zoro's furious onslaught. "But I'm in your head! I've completely blocked your sense of direction!"

"Then the jokes on you," Zoro growled, throwing his blades in a furious slash. "…I _don't have a sense of direction!_"

Isaac looked shocked, yet Zoro was relentless. The slender man had to run backwards to avoid the flashing blades. Behind him, Berrit was just laughing at his companion's situation.

"Unbelievable… that moss head's lack of direction is actually good something," Sanji deadpanned. The chef was stumbling around trying to find his bearings, but he lost all sense of where anything was. He couldn't join the fight when there was a chance he might hit one of the women.

Meanwhile, Nami managed trying to pry off Vivi's handcuffs with her blade. Fortunately, they hadn't been put on tightly, and they were moving. Her slender hands were slipping through the handcuffs slowly.

"Luffy's in trouble!" Vivi hissed in a worried voice. "He's facing the third one alone, and that guy was strong!"

"It's alright," Nami soothed. "We'll take care of these guys, and then go help him."

Finally, the handcuffs opened enough for Vivi to pull her hands out. "I'm going to help him now!" Vivi insisted, before running off into the woods.

"Vivi!" Nami tried to run after her, but Isaac's power was still affecting her. Nami tripped over a root and landed face first in the mud.

"I'll go after her," Robin shouted loudly, quickly running after the princess. Robin was dizzy as well, but she was using her abilities to create a line of hands across the ground to support herself as she ran after Vivi into the forest.

The large man, Berrit, seemed to find this funny. "Oi! Isaac! Our goddamn target is getting away!" He laughed.

"I'm a bit busy!" Isaac grunted. For all he was defenceless against Zoro's blades, he was doing a very good job in dodging the attack. Zoro was quickly getting irritated.

If anything, Sanji was even more annoyed. The dizziness was completely incapacitating him. "Marimo!" The chef demanded. "Hurry up and beat that guy so I can fight! The ladies need me!"

"I'm trying!" Zoro snapped, before snarling at Isaac. "Fight, you coward!"

Isaac simply laughed. "The truth is…" He admitted sheepishly. "That I'm not really that good at the physical side of fighting."

Suddenly, a large shadow towered over Zoro. "But that's alright…" Berrit grinned, joining in for the first time. "Because I'm _really_ goddamn good at it!"

Zoro tried to avoid it, but the large man was fast. Berrit's hand shot out and lightly touched against Zoro's shoulder.

In an instant, Zoro collapsed to the ground. It felt like he had just been hit over the head with a large hammer. His body crumpled and folded over. His teeth gritted while blood filled up his mouth.

"My power is a lot less subtle than his," Berrit laughed. "I ate the goddamn Stomp Stomp fruit. I am a Stomper Man! Everything I touch gets goddamn stomped on!"

Berrit's heavy boot hit Zoro squarely in the chest, but it was followed by an even worse impact. Suddenly, the swordsman was slammed into the ground and landed in a Zoro-sized crater.

Usopp and Chopper screamed in shock. Berrit cracked knuckles, while Isaac straightened his tie.

"I'll stop them from fighting back," Isaac explained simply, his eyes pulsing eerily. "You stomp on them. Got it?"

"As if you needed to ask…" Berrit grinned.

* * *

Marcus kept on whistling. Even as he continued to fling Luffy around Mock Town, crashing through buildings, Marcus just kept on strolling and whistling.

A house exploded in a shower of wooden splinters and rubble. Luffy's limp body crashed through the rubble with breakneck force, before shooting out the other side and skidding across the road like a ragdoll fired from a cannon. He was bleeding from so many cuts that it was a wonder he even had any skin left. The pain was so intense he could feel it in his bones. His muscles screamed in agony, but Luffy pushed himself to his feet with pure force of will.

"Are you seriously worth 200 million?" Marcus asked sceptically, walking casually towards Luffy with his hands in his pockets. Around them, the citizens of Mock Town were fleeing for their lives, but Marcus didn't seem to care. A huge trail of rubble had been carved through the town from their one-sided fight.

Marcus never even had a scratch on him. He never dodged, but Luffy's punch had yet to even make contact. Luffy's knuckles were numb from his attempts. The Devil fruit hunter had a really strange ability…

The pirate gritted his teeth, panting heavily, while slowly levering off Smoker's jitte from across his back. Luffy gripped the handle firmly, while his muscles tensed and his breath became calm. He had to end this now. This man was dangerous, and Luffy would not allow him to hurt Vivi.

_You will not hurt my friends_, Luffy thought firmly, a blazing anger igniting his stomach, driving away the pain. _They are precious to me!_

With every ounce of strength he had left, Luffy's body exploded into action. His feet slammed against the ground so hard he left a trail of dust, and suddenly he was bursting straight towards Marcus, swinging the jitte around in circles. A millisecond before impact, Luffy darted towards the side. With his other hand, Luffy grabbed a large piece of stone rubble and flung it towards his opponent.

Marcus didn't even flinch. As soon as the projectile came within two feet of his body, it shattered into dust. It was enough of a distraction for Luffy to get behind him, using both hands to swing the jitte downwards with jaw-shattering speed.

Around him, the air was shimmering. Luffy could feel the jitte vibrating so hard it threatened to pulverize the bones in his hand, yet with a wordless scream of fury Luffy pushed onwards. A glint of annoyance flashed across Marcus' face.

"Seastone…" He growled irritably. "_Cute_."

The Devil fruit hunter was forced to dodge backwards, and Luffy felt a flash of victory. This was the first time that Marcus had actually shown concern for this fight. Luffy pressed onwards, bringing the jitte around in a lightning fast swipe towards Marcus' face.

"Still, that's the thing with Seastone…" Marcus smirked. Around him, the air was shimmering so hard it looked like it was sparkling orange. "…It only makes a difference if it actually touches you."

The jitte stopped instantly, as if it collided with a brick wall. Luffy screamed with pain as the impact felt like it crushed his hands. Almost lazily, Marcus reached out and grabbed the jitte, staying away from the Seastone tip, and casually tightened his grip. The jitte vibrated furiously for a second, before it shattered into a cloud of metal dust. The Seastone tip fell to the ground.

"Oops," Marcus teased. Luffy was left holding a useless handle, but there was too much momentum behind him and he couldn't get away fast enough. Marcus followed through with a sweeping kick, colliding against Luffy's chest.

The impact exploded like a ton of dynamite. The shockwave shattered every nearby pane of glass. Luffy was sent flying backwards, smashing through an entire row of houses.

Marcus just laughed. He started whistling again before following the trail of destruction left by Luffy's body.

He barely made it a dozen steps, before suddenly Luffy exploded from the debris, his fist smashing towards Marcus' head. Luffy's clothes were tattered into shreds. His body was covered in blood, while his face was twisted in animalistic fury.

"Ok, you get points for persistence," Marcus admitted. Luffy's arm stopped against the shimmering shield surrounding Marcus' body, and Marcus lazily swatted Luffy to the ground. Marcus looked vaguely confused. "You know, I was pretty sure that I broke every bone in your knuckles. How are you still _capable_ of punching me?"

Luffy was left motionless on the ground. Marcus sighed, crouching down next to him. He placed his foot over his chest, pinning Luffy to the ground. Absentmindedly, Marcus picked up a nearby stone, holding it flat in the palm of his hand.

"Look, it's like this," Marcus explained, motioning at the stone. "Imagine all those molecules, right? Molecules everywhere. My power causes all those molecules to vibrate. And when they vibrate, the object falls to pieces very quickly."

In the palm of his hand, the air surrounding the stone started to shimmer. The next second, the stone was cracking into pieces and turning into dust, floating away into nothingness.

"That's my power," he explained happily. "I can _shred_ anything. I ate the Shred Shred fruit. I am a _Shredder_ man."

Luffy couldn't even resist as Marcus casually placed his hand over his chest. There was a maniacal smile on Marcus' face as he continued. "I can shred any attack that comes near me. I can magnify any of my attacks with my ability. I can turn _anything_ into _nothing_." He extended his finger slowly. The air was shimmering. "_Watch this_."

Marcus pressed down his finger against Luffy's chest. There was a sickening crunch. Luffy screamed in pain. "That's one rib broken!" Marcus shouted gleefully. He moved his finger slightly. There was another crack. "Two ribs broken! Do you want to see how many we can break before you finally die?"

His voice was filed with pure psychopathic joy and insanity. Luffy was screaming and coughing up blood. Still, Luffy refused to give up. Luffy's hand extended and grabbed the remaining blade from his belt, and flashed the knife upwards in a murderous strike.

Marcus was standing too closely for his power to shred the knife in time. The Devil fruit hunter was forced to dodge out the way, but the knife still scraped against his cheek, drawing blood.

Luffy pulled himself up slowly. His body was screaming with agony, but Luffy didn't even care. He clutched his knife firmly, staring at the blood on the blade.

"So you can be hurt," Luffy muttered finally, gripping his blade firmly. His voice was hoarse from the blood in his mouth. "I've just got to get close to you. And if you can hurt, then you can _die_."

Marcus chuckled. He ran a finger across the cut on his cheek, before licking the blood on his finger. "Yep, that's right," Marcus laughed. "But anyone who gets close, gets shredded."

Around them, it looked like a bombshell had hit the town. The buildings were pulverised. The sounds of footsteps were fading, as it seemed like the entire town had evacuated. It was dark and there were pitch black clouds approaching over the horizon, but Luffy was completely focused on Marcus.

Suddenly, a tense shout split the standoff. "Luffy!" A voice called, and Luffy recognised it straight away.

"Vivi!" Luffy shouted back with sudden concern. "Get away from here! He's after you!"

The approaching footsteps were clearly audible. Vivi appeared at the end of the street, running towards Luffy. Both men turned to stare at her.

"Ah! _Beautiful_!" Marcus shouted happily, walking towards Vivi. "You know, I was going to look for you after I was done with him."

Luffy exploded with rage. "Don't you dare hurt her!" He bellowed angrily, swinging his leg at Marcus in a vicious kick. Marcus didn't even turn around, but Luffy was sent crashing backwards from a wave of the Shred Shred ability.

Vivi shouted in shock, firing both of her Peacock Slashers at Marcus in a blur of speed. The spinning disks were deflected harmlessly. Grunting, Vivi focused on her Devil fruit abilities, and summoned a blade of sand bursting from a swing of her arm.

The air shimmered and it seemed like every single grain of sand dispersed as it approached Marcus. With a surge of speed, Marcus rushed forward with an uppercut that exploded the air around her. Vivi had time to prepare, but the impact still sent her crashing to the ground.

"That… hurt?" She gasped, staring at the blood from numerous cuts across her arms. She wasn't adept with her powers yet, but she was sure that she should have phased through that punch.

"Surprised?" Marcus smirked. "_My_ abilities work on a _molecular_ scale. Not even Logia can avoid them."

He stared downwards at her. "You could end this all now," he teased. "All you have to do is come with us. We'll leave all your friends alone, I promise. Otherwise, they're all going to die because of you."

She was left motionless. Marcus' smirk widened. He was laughing even as he brought his fist downwards straight at her.

Instantly, soft hands appeared around Vivi and dragged her backwards. Marcus' fist collided against the ground, pulverizing stone into dust. Nico Robin emerged from the darkness, her hands crossed in front of her chest as she stared with anger.

"Two beautifuls!" Marcus chuckled madly, cracking his knuckles. "Today is my lucky day! Perhaps I can't _kill_ the Sand Sand fruit here, but I have no problem in ripping off –"

His voice was cut off by a ton of rubble crashing down on him. Luffy was screaming wordlessly from behind, every vein bulging as he threw a house straight at Marcus. The Devil fruit hunter disappeared in a pile of debris.

"Robin! Get Vivi out of here!" Luffy shouted loudly. He was bleeding so heavily it was a wonder he was still moving. "I'll hold him off."

Vivi gasped as she saw the state of his body. It looked like Luffy had fallen into a meat shredder. "Luffy! You're…" Her voice choked. "… You can't beat him alone."

"I can hold him off," Luffy growled. "Get away from here."

"But–"

"_No_." His tone was uncharacteristically sharp. "He's after you. Run away, get to the ship and start sailing. If you're gone, then they'll leave."

"What about you?" Vivi asked breathlessly. Behind her, the rubble of the house was starting to shift.

"We'll meet up later," Luffy promised, turning around to face Marcus. "But you've got to leave _right now_."

Calmly, Robin placed her hand on Vivi's shoulder and started to pull her backwards. Luffy was already staggering away. The sound of laughter was echoing from the rubble. Vivi gulped, trying to fight back, but Robin's grip was firm.

"Yet we can't just leave him–" She protested.

"_Follow your captain's orders_," Robin said firmly, in a tone that left no room for argument. For the first time, Vivi stared at the older woman. For all her body was calmer, her eyes were just as worried. Vivi relented, and the two of them turned to run out of the town.

Marcus was laughing as he emerged from the debris. He stared at the running women with unconcealed glee. "Did you really think I would just let you get away?" He growled, starting to run after them. He barely made it two steps before Luffy crashed into him, sending them both scattering to the ground.

"_I'm your opponent!_" Luffy roared, tackling Marcus down. "_You will not touch them_."

It was agonisingly painful just being so close to Marcus, yet Luffy forced his way through the shimmering air with pure determination. Marcus was left shocked as suddenly Luffy was on top of him, and the pirate's hands were wrapping around Marcus' neck.

Luffy's arms were trembling from the effort. Cuts emerged across his skin as he arms were being slowly shredded, but Luffy's grip was like iron as he tightened his fingers around Marcus' windpipe.

Marcus was gasping for breath, but still trying to laugh even as Luffy strangled him. With Marcus hands, he punched against Luffy's chest. Each blow felt like a cannon blast. Luffy managed to endure five of them before he finally collapsed.

Marcus pulled himself up, rubbing at his bruised neck. He was laughing. "You've definitely got persistence" He admitted. His eyes glinted gleefully. "I can get beautiful later. Let's see how long you can survive against _me_."

Luffy was struggling to breath with broken ribs. His bones felt like they had been ground into dust. It was difficult to even raise his arms.

_I used to be stronger than this_, Luffy thought with shock. He used to be stronger than this. It felt like every punch was half as strong as they had been when he was Rubberman. He couldn't take a blow like he used to be able to. Without the Gum Gum fruit, Luffy was weaker, slower, and more fragile. If Luffy still had his Devil fruit, then this fight would have been different.

_I should be stronger than this…_ Luffy struggled to stand up straight. His eyes were unblinkingly focused on Marcus' grin. He was fighting stronger opponents and while he was weaker. All of that training, and he still wasn't strong enough. He couldn't afford to be weak anymore. Crocodile had proven that. _I have too much that I need to protect_…

Luffy's hands curled into fists so tightly that his fingernails drew blood from his palm.

_I WILL GET STRONGER THAN THIS!_

The fury, the outrage, and the determination boiled through his body. Suddenly, his arms were trembling from rage. A wordless scream of anger burst from his lips, and the next second he was charging against Marcus furiously.

There was no instinct of self-preservation left. There was no more pain. All Luffy wanted to do was punch that smile out of Marcus' face.

Marcus was laughing even more feverishly. Luffy's fists collided against the shimmering shield relentlessly. Each impact caused a small shockwave, but Luffy didn't even pause.

"Don't you get it?" Marcus laughed. He was standing completely still. "You _can't_ hurt me like this. Every punch doesn't hit me, but you're hurting yourself each time. _You're_ the only one that's feeling the impact."

Luffy gritted his teeth, but kept on hitting. The blood was scattering across the ground. His fists were completely numb, but he didn't care. Luffy would keep on hitting until his hands were stumps, and then he would start punching again. His fists kept on colliding with invisible wall surrounding Marcus. There was no hesitation, and no mercy in his blows. If anything, his pace just kept on increasing.

Around him, the air was shimmering furiously. At first it was shimmering orange, but it gradually intensified until it was glowing bright red. Luffy could swear that the distance between his fists and Marcus' body was slowly decreasing.

Marcus frowned. "How are you still alive?" He asked finally. Marcus was slowly taking steps backwards now, but Luffy's onslaught was relentless. "You should have turned every bone in your body to _dust_ by now…"

Luffy didn't respond. In ten seconds, he had already punched Marcus a few hundred times. His muscles were burning. He was powered by more than flesh and blood. A flicker of doubt crossed Marcus' face, and Luffy screamed as he threw everything he had into his final punch. He hit so hard that he broke the sound barrier, creating a shockwave that rippled across the entire island…

For half a second, Luffy's fist turned pitch black.

The shield broke. His knuckles collided against Marcus' jaw and the force was tremendous. Marcus didn't even have time to react as suddenly his body collapsed and the punch took him off his feet. The air whooshed as his body flew backwards, leaving a crater in the centre of the town. The punch was so devastating it threw up a mushroom cloud of dust.

The determination in Luffy never subsided. His knuckles were dripping blood, but he didn't care. He was beyond pain now. He staggered forward, thinking of nothing more than to see through. He wanted to see him dead.

Gasping for breath, Marcus pulled himself off the ground. His body was bleeding and bruised. His jaw felt broken. Everything was spinning from concussion, but slowly the Devil fruit hunter managed to focus on Luffy.

"How did you…?" Marcus gasped, feeling his jaw. His body was trembling. "How could…?"

Slowly, Marcus' face split open in a huge grin, stretching from ear to ear. His teeth were white and vicious in the moonlight. The psychopathic laughter echoed through the night.

Around him, the air wasn't shimmering anymore. It was _glowing_ blood-red in the darkness. With every step, the ground cracked and disintegrated into dust.

Marcus was laughing so furiously he could barely speak. "THIS IS GOING TO BE _FUN_!" He bellowed loudly, before charging at Luffy.

* * *

At the Going Merry, things were going badly. Isaac and Berrit proved to be an effective team. Perhaps they could be defeated separately, but together they were very difficult opponents.

Isaac's eyes were kept on pulsing bright blue. It was enough to make anyone dizzy and disoriented. Zoro was the only one who could still fight despite it, yet even he was feeling the effects. Sanji was trying, but he ended completely missing with every attack. Isaac just kept on flitting around the battle, drawing a flintlock pistol and firing it at the weak and defenceless.

Berrit was the opposite. The large man was big and strong, yet surprisingly quick, and he used his power to devastate his opponents. His punches and kicks were reinforced by the Stomp Stomp fruit, and he only needed to touch you before a huge force came slamming down from above.

Sanji was barely managing to survive Berrit. The chef was practically incapacitated by the Daze Daze fruit, and his kicks kept on missing. The dizziness was so severe Sanji nearly dropped to the ground every time he raised his leg. Berrit took the weak kicks easily, and returned with bone-cracking stomps courtesy of his power.

Zoro was the only one that could follow Isaac, but the slender man refused to face him in a fair fight. Instead, Isaac flitted across the ground away from Zoro's swords, while the swordsman narrowly managed to deflect each bullet. Isaac would routinely aim for one of the other pirates, forcing Zoro to dash to their aid, all the while fighting against the dizziness. Zoro had already taken a bullet to the shoulder and another one across his arm, and he was panting heavily while Isaac wore him down.

Perhaps the swordsman could have cornered Isaac if they'd been fighting alone, yet Berrit kept on coming to Isaac's aid whenever he was in trouble.

Chopper had already been taken down by a few heavy blows from Berrit. Nami had pulled the doctor aboard the Going Merry to get him out of the way. Vivi and Robin had went after Luffy, and Carue had followed squealing to bring Vivi back. Sanji and Zoro were both facing losing fights against the Devil fruit hunters.

Usopp was left just as helpless. His slingshot was in hand, and the sniper was firing and reloading with lightning speed. Still, so far his projectiles had been fired in every direction _except_ towards the enemy. The dizziness, lack of orientation and coordination were playing havoc with his sharpshooting abilities.

"Watch out!" Usopp stammered, unleashing another projectile that was sent flying into the sea. He tried to correct his aim, but he had no hand-eye coordination. "You better run! I have eight thousand men heading over here right now!"

Nobody seemed to pay him any regard. Zoro grunted as he took another bullet to the chest. Usopp's explosive round hit uselessly off the ground. "Did I say eight thousand?" Usopp shrieked. "I meant eight million! You better run away quick!"

He growled with frustration as no one even glanced towards him. Sanji took another heavy blow from Berrit. It had been years since Usopp had felt so helpless. "I am Captain Usopp! Brave Warrior of the Seas!" Usopp shouted loudly, his eyes blurring up with tears as he loaded another round. "I will not let you hurt my friends!"

There was a grunt as Isaac narrowly avoided the metal star launched at him. Usopp wiped his eyes and blinked. "Wait a minute…" Usopp realised. "That nearly hit…"

A memory came back to him; one of Isaac removing his glasses before using his powers. Suddenly, Usopp figured it out.

At once, Usopp closed his eyes tightly, before launching a salvo of explosive rounds towards Isaac. They scattered across the ground, interrupting the fight between Zoro and Isaac.

"Usopp!" Zoro snarled, narrowly avoiding the flames. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Usopp didn't respond. His eyes flickered open, very quickly, just long enough to get a broad idea of where Isaac was, before he closed them and blindly launched another explosive salvo. Isaac frowned as he had to cartwheel to avoid the projectiles.

"He needs eye contact to use his power!" Usopp shouted triumphantly, pointing at Isaac. Usopp couldn't aim when his eyes were closed, but at least he never missed as badly as he used to. "When your eyes are open, he messes with your perceptions to make you miss every attack! If you close your eyes, he can't affect you!"

Isaac looked annoyed. Sanji smirked. "Is that so…?" The chef muttered, before closing his eyes.

Suddenly, the dizziness was gone. This time, the chef jumped upwards, spinning his leg around in a wide arc with flashing speed. Berrit couldn't dodge in time, and the force sent the large man backwards.

"Goddamn it…!" Berrit wheezed, pulling himself up. He had never taken one of Sanji's kicks before. The chef was standing coolly, already lighting a cigarette with his eyes closed.

"So all I have to do is beat you with my eyes shut?" Sanji mused. "I can do that."

With Usopp's blind onslaught behind him, Zoro was getting closer. Isaac was having trouble dodging in time, letting Zoro get close enough to inflict three shallow slashes across Isaac's chest before he rolled.

"Curse it!" Isaac growled, looking annoyed as he inspected the gashes across his suit. "This was tailor-made! Handcrafted stitching! Don't you have any respect for art?"

Zoro responded only with another attack, this time cutting off Isaac's tie, slashing open one of his boots, and cutting his flintlock in half. Things became desperate as Isaac was forced backwards.

Sanji was facing Berrit more equally now too. Berrit was lumbering and loud, and Sanji could still predict his attacks from sound alone. Even with his eyes closed, Sanji was putting up a good fight.

Usopp blind barrage of projectiles scattered around the ground. He launched everything from explosive rounds, metal shells to rubber bands. The Devil fruit hunters were driven further and further back.

"Mwahahah!" Usopp laughed, his arms blurring as he fired. The projectiles streamed from him, fast as a machine gun. "I am Captain Usopp! Don't you forget it!"

"Will you watch we're you're shooting?" Sanji snarled as a rubber band bounced off his head.

"Never!"

There was a loud quacking from the woods as Carue came charging forward. Vivi and Robin were on his back, holding on tightly as the duck thundered towards the ship.

"Vivi!" Nami called with relief, from the deck of the Going Merry. "Where's Luffy?"

"Holding the other one back," Vivi replied sourly. "Get the ship ready, we've got to go now!"

Nami looked confused. "But… Luffy?"

"That third one is really strong," Robin replied simply, jumping off Carue. For once, the duck never minded her presence. "We've got to go and lead him away, and meet up with Luffy later."

The navigator looked like she wanted to protest, but there was a dark glance in Robin's eyes that warned her not to. Quickly, the girls charged up the gangway, with Robin using her powers to unfurl the sails and raise the anchor at the same time.

"The Sand Sand fruit is getting away!" Isaac called with frustration, narrowly dodging Zoro's blades. "Do something."

"Goddamn…" Berrit grumbled, running around a blind Sanji and towards the Going Merry. He didn't make it very far as suddenly a small object collided against his face, before exploding with gas.

Usopp stood with a triumphant smile on his face. "Usopp's…" The sniper proclaimed. "..._Stink Bomb_!"

The smell was rancid, especially to Berrit's hypersensitive nose. The large man groaned with disgust, clutching his nose helplessly, yet Usopp followed it through with two rotten eggs smashing against his face. With Berrit incapacitated, Sanji responded with bone-cracking kick to Berrit's side, sending him rolling away.

"Berrit!" Isaac called with surprise, his lip twisting in distaste. He turned to Zoro angrily. "That's it! It's time you _see_ the real power of the Daze Daze fruit…"

The glow from Isaac's eyes started to intensify. They were shining bright blue, and Zoro started to feel worried. Isaac took out a second flintlock from behind his back, while Zoro's movements became sluggish. Slowly, Zoro felt his strength disappear and his arms became heavy…

Then, a canister landed on the ground next to Isaac, which started to hiss with thick white smoke. It was followed by a second one, and then a third, until all visibly disappeared.

"He's not going to see a thing!" Usopp called happily, from outside of the smoke cloud. "Usopp's… _Smoke Bomb_!"

As soon as the smoke blocked out Isaac's eyes, Zoro's strength returned. The swordsman sighed with relief, and Isaac had already disappeared in the thick smog.

"Zoro! Sanji! Quickly! Get on-board!" Nami's voice ordered loudly. Zoro hesitated; he wanted to finish Isaac once and for all while he was helpless, but there was no way of even finding him in the large smoke cloud. After a couple of seconds, Zoro relented and followed the sound of Nami's voice out of the smoke.

"Zoro!" Nami called angrily, once he emerged from the cloud. "You're going in the complete wrong direction!"

Zoro growled before he turned around and ran towards the ship. The Going Merry was already sailing off, and Robin had to use her powers to pull him up. Once he was safely on deck, Zoro collapsed as he gingerly nursed his bullet wounds.

"Those guys were annoying…" Zoro grumbled.

Next to him, Sanji was nursing his neck from Berrit's repeated stomps. "That skinny one has a really troublesome power."

"And the big one hits really hard," Zoro agreed.

Already, the on the beach were becoming small. Isaac was staggering out of the smoke cloud, nursing his tattered suit, while Berrit was climbing up and wiping egg off his face. There were strong winds forming, and the Going Merry was sailing away quickly.

Not that mattered how fast the Going Merry was going. Devil fruit users couldn't swim, so as soon as they were on the water there was no way for the pair to follow.

Usopp was standing at the back of the ship, happily jeering at the pair standing on the beach. "I am the great Captain Usopp! Great Adventurer of the Sea and Conqueror of Devils!" The sniper screamed cheerfully. Like every coward, he was much more confident when he was running away. "Don't you forget it! You were lucky to escape with your lives! If I meet you again, I won't be so merciful!"

Back on the beach, Berrit and Isaac stared gloomily at the retreating ship, neither one of them caring to talk.

Finally, Isaac glanced upwards at the dark clouds and fierce winds, before commenting, "There's a storm coming over the island," he mused. "We better find Marcus and get to _our_ ship."

Berrit nodded but didn't move. Isaac glanced at his companion sympathetically. "This isn't over," he reassured. "They won't be able to hide from us, and they sure as hell can't outrun us. I'll bet we'll catch up to them before they even get out of the bay."

"Oh, I know," Berrit agreed, cracking his knuckles. "And when we do, I'm going to pulverize the bones of that goddamn sniper into goddamn dust…"

* * *

"How could you leave him there like that?" Nami accused angrily, pointing at Vivi and Robin. "Why didn't you stay and help?"

Vivi bit her lip, but didn't respond. "It was his choice," Robin replied simply, but didn't voice her own concerns.

"So you just _abandoned_ him?" Nami growled, trying to fight the worry that was almost suffocating through her.

Robin didn't respond. She just stood by the rail, looking out over the dark outline of the island as the ship chopped through the waves.

"That guy was really strong…" Vivi admitted weakly, looking at the scrapes across her arms from his attack.

"Then you should have stayed and helped!" Nami fumed. "The three of you together would have had a much better chance!"

For once, Sanji never even tried to approach the ladies. Zoro stood at the prow of the Going Merry, near the figurehead, watching carefully as they turned around the corner of the island.

"Why would you leave that idiot alone?" Nami ranted, pacing uneasily. "You know what he's like, you should have stayed and helped. _Dragged_ him back if you needed to, but never just…"

"He was trying to protect us," Robin said quietly.

"Protect us? We can protect ourselves, but he's the one who was hurt. Why does he always have to be so stubborn constantly, it just drives me…"

At the back of the ship, Usopp stood starting upwards and the sky. It was getting very dark, and the winds were picking up. "Umm… Guys?" Usopp called weakly, although he was mostly ignored. "There's a _really_ weird cloud over the island…"

Nami just kept on ranting and pacing nervously. Her hands were twitching at the sword on her waist and her Clima-Tact on the other side. Neither Robin nor Vivi made eye contact. Sanji was at the helm, and the Going Merry was twisting around the bay.

Zoro stood motionlessly at the prow, but he frowned as the other side of the island came into view.

"I know I get lost quite often," he admitted slowly, staring off at the coast. "…But I'm pretty sure that there used to be a town there…"

Slowly, everyone turned to stare at the coast. The scene was highlighted by burning torches and fires that erupted over the debris. It looked like something from an apocalypse.

Nami placed her hands over her mouth. "Luffy…" She gasped.

They all remembered what Mock Town had looked like when they had arrived. That had all vanished. There wasn't even a building still standing up, but instead the whole town had transformed into a pile of rubble and debris. Even the landscape had been radically altered by gouges and craters carved into the ground. The trees were collapsed, and every building had been absolutely pulverised.

If it wasn't for the pier, which was still mostly intact, yet deserted, they would have thought they'd arrived at the wrong town.

"Bring the ship in!" Vivi yelled forcefully, bending so far over the railing she looked like she might fall in. "_Luffy_!"

* * *

Berrit and Isaac looked over the debris that was previously Mock Town. Numerous fires had burst out across the rubble. The 'town' was deserted. All the citizens had felt into the forest, while all the pirates had fled out into the bay.

"Well…" Isaac muttered eventually. "It looks like Marcus really went all out…"

Berrit nodded silently. After a moment's hesitation, they both started walking into the town, over the wood and rubble that coated the ground. They had a very profitable business as Devil fruit hunters, but the downside was that they had to deal with Marcus'… tendencies.

A couple of minutes later, by the port, they found Marcus sitting calmly on a pile of rubble and staring out into the sea with a serene smile on his face.

He turned as he heard them approach. "Oh! Hey guys!" Marcus exclaimed happily. "What took you so long?"

It was a long time before Berrit or Isaac responded. Marcus' clothes were tattered and he was bleeding heavily. There were several cuts across his body, and a large and particularly nasty head wound. His nose looked like it had been broken, and he was nursing his jaw tenderly. There were also dark bruises across his neck that looked like finger marks.

And Marcus was smiling brightly. He was in a very good mood, and that was never a good thing.

"We were busy…" Isaac replied weakly. "And we… accidently let the Sand Sand fruit get away…"

Isaac had been worried about some sort of violent outburst. After all, Marcus' mood swings were infamously unpredictable. Instead, the man just shrugged.

"Ah, doesn't matter," Marcus grinned, already walking away. "I've got it covered."

Berrit and Isaac followed a several steps behind. Marcus walked to a pile of debris, and casually kicked a large boulder out of the way. The body of Monkey D. Luffy was scattered across the ground, surrounded by a very large amount of blood.

If it wasn't for Luffy's ragged breathing, he could have quite easily passed for dead. As it was, it looked like a medical miracle that he was still alive. His skin looked like it had practically been flayed off. His knuckles, in particular, looked almost shattered. His joints were twisted in a way that could only mean broken bones.

"I had a _really_ fun time," Marcus said as if in explanation. He was still smiling even as he grabbed Luffy by the ankle and started to drag him across the ground. The pirate was so weak he couldn't even fight back.

Marcus hauled Luffy down to the docks, and walked on to the pier. The wood was wet and smooth, and Luffy could only stare at the water beneath the planks as he was dragged face down.

Finally, they reached the edge of the pier. Marcus dropped Luffy's leg and roughly pulled the pirates limp body upwards. Berrit and Isaac followed quietly.

"Do you remember what I did to that stone?" Marcus asked gleefully. He slowly pressed his hand over Luffy's heading, tightly gripping his skull. "Well, I'm going to do the exact same thing to your _head_. I come to break your skull into pieces. I'm going to _liquefy_ your brain. And I'm going to do it _slowly_, so that you get to feel every _sensation_."

Luffy couldn't even react. His body wasn't responding. Instead, he could only stare, looking on into the bay, until finally his eyes managed to focus on a ship sailing close to the shore. Luffy's heart raced as he recognised that ship.

"Hello beautiful!" Marcus shouted cheerfully, waving at the Going Merry. They were so close now that Luffy could see all his friends on-board. He tried to move, but he couldn't. Marcus was gripping him too tightly.

"_Luffy_!" A shrill voice screamed from the Going Merry. _Vivi_, Luffy thought weakly, _no_…

Marcus looked like was enjoying himself. "Let's make this easy, beautiful," the Devil fruit hunter promised. "I'm going to _kill_ your captain. It's going to be painful, and you're going to watch me kill him right in front of you!"

There were shouts of panic from the Going Merry, all frenzied and indistinguishable. Luffy kept on stirring weakly, but Marcus held him tightly. Isaac and Berrit stood close behind him, ready for a fight.

"_Or_…" Marcus continued, taking great pleasure in the situation. "_You_ come here, and you surrender. In return, the captain goes free, and the princess comes with us! How's that for a bargain?"

There wasn't even a moment's hesitation. "Bring the ship in," Vivi ordered firmly. Her voice was quiet, but clearly audible.

"Vivi…" Nami muttered uncertainly.

"_Bring the ship in_."

Marcus was laughing. Luffy was struggling more. He wanted to fight, he wanted to punch him, but his arms just weren't working. All he could do was squirm helpless as he watched.

_No, Vivi…_ Luffy begged silently, _Don't do it… He's going to kill you…_

_He's going to kill you all…_

Finally, Luffy found his voice. "Vivi!" He gasped hoarsely. "_Don't_! Just run!"

The panic and confusion on the Going Merry increased, but they kept on sailing towards the shore. Marcus lightly hit Luffy over the head, but he was enjoying himself too much to stop Luffy from talking.

"Get away from here, Vivi!" Luffy screamed. "He's going to kill you! Run!"

The Going Merry never turned. He could hear the screaming and frenzied shouting, but Luffy's heart was beating too much to make out the words.

_I will not watch my friends die_, Luffy thought furiously, still trying to struggle. Marcus was forced to use both hand to stop him, and plant his foot on Luffy's back to keep him motionless. _I will not be the reason my friends die_…

The ship was close now. Dangerously close. The tears were swelling up in Luffy's eyes.

"Don't you dare!" Luffy shrieked loudly. "_I will never forgive you if you come back for me!_"

There was a moment's stunned silence. Nobody dared to move.

After a half a second, Marcus started laughing. He was laughing harder and more raucously than he had ever done in years.

"Well, look at the brave captain!" Marcus squealed joyfully. "_Everyone_! Watch the brave captain who's willing to sacrifice himself for his crew!"

Marcus slowly put his hands across Luffy's head. The air started to shimmer. "And now…!" Marcus continued with a psychopathic smile. "You get to watch the brave captain die!"

Then the pain started. It was like nothing that Luffy had ever felt before. Involuntarily, a hoarse shriek escaped from his mouth. His head felt like it was about to explode. Marcus just kept on laughing. The agonising pain in between his ears drowned out every other feeling. There was nothing but pain.

Except for his friends. Luffy could hear his friends quite clearly. Somehow, the sound of his friends screaming was worse than anything he had ever heard.

He was going to die. Again. Despite everything, he had still let all his friends down. He wanted to struggle and to fight, but there was nothing he could. His arms weren't working. He could barely even move.

_There's nothing I can do…_ he thought weakly, staring at the wooden pier while the pain in his skull just kept on increasing.

_There's nothing I can do…?_

…

"_I_ can swim…" Luffy growled suddenly through gritted teeth, before he slammed his head down against the wooden planks with bone-crunching force.

The wood buckled as if it was made of paper. The next second, they all dropped through the pier and splashed into the cold, salty water.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Next time: Sky Island!**


	10. Chapter 10: Defying Fate

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I can't think of a funny way to state that I don't own One Piece. Excuse me while I go cry…**

* * *

**Previously:**

**It hit the fan.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Defying Fate**

* * *

"_I will never forgive you if you come back for me."_

The words rang through the air hollowly. They were so final, so harsh, and so un-Luffy-like that the whole crew was stunned silent. All eyes were on the pier, and no one on the Going Merry dared to even breathe.

Vivi was trembling so much her vision was blurry. Beside her, Nami looked like her heart had stopped breathing. Zoro felt his swords twitching for blood, while Usopp was already taking aim with his slingshot, yet they were still too far away from the pier. No one moved, or even made a sound. None of them knew what to do.

And that was when Luffy started screaming in pain. He screamed so loudly that it drowned out Marcus' laughter. Marcus stood over Luffy's body, both hands over the pirate's skull, all the while the air shimmered and Luffy thrashed in agony.

The screams caused the atmosphere to snap. Vivi was already rushing madly towards Luffy, and Robin had to stop her jumping out of the ship. Nami broke down in muffled tears, too shocked to snap. Usopp was strangely quiet, his eyes wide and bulging as he watched Luffy shriek. Sanji and Zoro were both at the front of the ship, shouting desperately for the ship to go faster. The masts were fully unfurled and the wind was strong, but the Going Merry seemed to be moving in slow motion.

The next second, with one tremendous groan of exertion, Luffy crashed downwards onto the wooden pier, and everything collapsed. The splash of water sounded like a tidal wave.

"Luffy!" Vivi shrieked. She would have jumped in after him if Robin hadn't been holding on to her tightly.

Both Sanji and Zoro were moving almost before Luffy broke the surface. There were no words, no orders, and no time for rational thought. Suddenly, they were both leaping off the prow and diving into the dark ocean.

"He'll be alright!" Robin shouted firmly. The older woman was holding Vivi closely; half restraining her and half comforting her. Still, Robin's hands were trembling too. "They'll save him!"

Vivi was stuttering nonsensically. Nami was staring, wide-eyed and shivering. "But…" Nami muttered numbly. "Luffy can't actually swim…"

* * *

It had been ten years since Luffy had even practiced swimming. He had been awful at it when he seven, and he was still wasn't any better.

He kicked and he punched, as if the water was some physical enemy. He could move, but his body was still broken and weak. He had no rhythm to his movements, no experience, and so Luffy fell deeper into the ocean.

Strangely, Luffy had never _really_ experienced drowning before, either. Devil fruit users sunk like stones in the water, yet at the same time the water paralysed and numbed their body. For a Devil fruit user, drowning was a horrible experience, yet a weirdly abstract one.

But Luffy was drowning now. He could feel his lungs burn as the water flooded his body. He was thrashing madly as the water surrounded him, and he could _feel_ absolutely every horrible experience.

The ocean was cold and dark. Vaguely, Luffy glimpsed shapes around him, but before long everything became pitch black. His head started to swirl. He could feel the pressure crushing his brain, and sounded like a popping between his eyes. Everything was swirling, his heartbeat was racing, and his lungs kept on shrieking for a breath of air that never came.

_Drowning was the most agonising way to die_. Luffy had heard someone say that before, but he had never understood it at the time. It made perfect sense now. Drowning was fighting against a foe that you couldn't punch, which sapped your strength and pulled you deeper while your body begged desperately for release.

Luffy's vision blurred. Specks were flickering in front of his eyes. The water was in his lungs, and he couldn't even scream. Luffy was in utter torture as his body turned cold, and the darkness swallowed him.

* * *

_Luffy opened his eyes wearily. The morning light flickered across his face, slowly rousing him from his sleep. Luffy was still tired and exhausted, but he couldn't keep his eyes closed any longer._

_He groaned as he pulled himself up. He was in a small, but comfortable, bed in a large room. Palm trees swayed idly outside of the wide windows, and Luffy could hear seagulls in the distance. The smell of fish wafted in from outside, but the scent was overpowered by a large vase of lavenders sitting by Luffy's bedside table._

_Luffy blinked several times. He knew this place well, and often visited it in his dreams. He was back in Foosha Village, and he was seven years old again._

"_Ah, you're up!" A cheerful voice called from the bottom of Luffy's bed. It was a voice that sent Luffy's heart racing. "Makino is going to be upset. She was desperate to see you as soon as you woke."_

_In a flash, the memories returned to him. Luffy knew this scene. His hair was still damp from after he had been pulled out of the ocean and away from the Sea King. Luffy's eyes focused on the man sitting beside him, the emotions swelling through his body._

"_Shanks!" Luffy screamed with joy, already squirming out from the covers._

'_Red Hair' Shanks was a face that he never forgot. The older pirate had been fixed into Luffy's mind forever. He was tall, with shaggy red hair and rugged stubble. He was well-muscled, with scars across his eye, but his eyes were soft and kind. _

_Shanks just chuckled as he watched Luffy wriggle out of the sheets. He had a bottle of rum in his hand, and he was leaning idly back in his chair. "Careful, Luffy," Shanks said affectionately. "You've been through quite an ordeal. Don't push yourself."_

_Gradually, realisation dawned on Luffy and he stopped moving and started to stare in shock. The rest of the memories came back to him; the Lord of the Coast bringing its gaping teeth down, and Shanks grabbing him out of the water…_

_Luffy gasped at the stump of Shanks' left arm, severed near the shoulder. It had been wrapped heavily up in bandages, but the wound was still raw and the blood was still leaking through._

"_Shanks…"Luffy gulped. Part of him had hoped that it all had been a bad dream. "Your arm…!"_

_Shanks glanced at the stump almost idly. "Oh yeah," he shrugged. "It happens."_

_The tears blurred Luffy's vision. This was his fault. He was the one who challenged Higuma and the mountain bandits, he was the one who'd been kidnapped. It was his fault that Shanks had lost his arm…_

_In seconds, Luffy was sobbing madly. Everything was rushing back to him too quickly. The emotions were crippling. The shame, anger and shock overwhelmed him, and crying was the only thing Luffy could do. The tears flowed down his face, and the child was left trembling in his bed._

"_Hey, hey, hey!" Shanks said softly, dropping the bottle of rum and pushing over to wrap his arm around Luffy. "It's alright. Everyone is still alive, and that's what's important, right?"_

_Luffy was crying too loudly. Shanks held the child close, cuddling him affectionately. "You lost your arm!" Luffy squealed through muffled tears._

"_Well, I didn't _lose_ it," Shanks reasoned. "I know exactly where it is." His face twisted. "Although I think the Sea King can keep it by now…"_

_Luffy just cried harder. He was a child that had just woken up from a near death experience. Crying was the only thing that he could do. Shanks arm around his shoulders was tight and reassuring, holding Luffy close to the pirate's chest._

"_Come on, it's not that bad," Shanks joked. "Just think of all the money I'm going to save on long-sleeved shirts?"_

_The child's sobbing stiffened slightly. Shanks grinned brightly._

"_And just imagine of the saving in deodorant!" Shanks laughed. "Each can is going to last twice as long."_

_Luffy's grip on the man softened slightly. Shanks lightly patted Luffy's arm reassuringly._

"_Plus," Shanks grinned. "You have no idea how much I hate cleaning my fingernails. Thank god that's cut down by half…"_

_Almost unwillingly, Luffy giggled. It took five minutes of comforting before Luffy's eyes dried and he was able to speak easily._

"_I don't get it," Luffy muttered eventually, his voice low. "You lost your arm. How can you be so calm?"_

_He squeezed Luffy comfortably. The child felt so at ease next to Shanks. The pirate's expression was soft and kind._

_Shanks shrugged. "It's only an arm, Luffy," he said reassuringly. "I try to focus on the important stuff."_

* * *

Nami's heart had practically stopped beating as Sanji and Zoro dived into the water, swimming quickly through the black water. Each second felt like an hour. The pair of them swam quickly, but it still took them a long time to reach the pier, and even longer to pull Luffy's limp and bloody from the depths.

Robin used her power to pull Luffy onto the ship. He was bleeding so much he left a trail of blood across the sea. Chopper had been injured in the fight, but the doctor was still fretting around in a frenzy as Zoro dropped Luffy on the deck.

Even at a glance, Nami could see the broken bones. His body looked frail and weak, like a piece of meat that had been butchered. Chopper was already working, transforming into his Heavy point to pump the water out of Luffy's lungs.

Nami wanted to help. She wanted to move and she wanted to say something, but her body was working and she couldn't find her voice. Nothing was working.

"He's breathing!" The doctor proclaimed finally, and the tension over the ship shattered.

There was a dull thud as Usopp fainted from relief. Nami released a deep breath she hadn't released she had been holding. The tears were still rolling down Vivi's face, but she was grinning madly.

"We should move him inside," Robin suggested softly. "Get him off the deck."

Chopper nodded, but his face looked nervous. "I need my medicine," he agreed, before gulping. "There are… so many broken bones. His heartbeat is very weak…"

A dozen hands sprouted across the deck from Robin's powers, gently carrying Luffy's limp body into the ship. Vivi held the door open for him, while Chopper was rushing around to gather his supplies. Nami rushed after them, still trembling but colour was returning to her face.

"That idiot…" Nami muttered breathlessly, pacing endlessly. "I swear that if he dies I'm going to kill him myself…"

Sanji looked like he was about to follow the women, but Zoro snapped irritably, "Oi, Curly Brows!" The swordsman ordered. "Go get the rudder! We need to get away from this island."

For half a second, the chef was about to protest, but Sanji wanted to leave badly too. They were both weary and injured from their fights, and the crew was in no state to face another threat.

Sanji rushed to the rudder, while Zoro proceeded to roughly push the masts upwind. He didn't care about sailing, but he knew that they had to leave. The Going Merry lurched as the strong wind hit them, and quickly they were sailing away from Mock Town and out of the bay.

Around them, there were lights from the other ships in the darkness. All of the pirates had fled Mock Town once the fight started, but they were still nearby. Like vultures circling a battlefield. The swordsman felt an animalistic growl from his throat. Suddenly, he was the only one left on deck, and he was keenly aware of the huge bounty pinned on to the ship…

As they passed the cliffs of Mouth Bay, the other pirate ships became closer. They were huge hulks of wood, highlighted by bright lanterns in the gloom of the night. There were dozens of them, all so close that Zoro could hear the wood creaking against the fierce wind. The swordsman tried to hold the masts steady as the Going Merry crept by, but every fighting instinct Zoro had could feel hundreds of eyes on the caravel, sizing it up.

Zoro had no doubt that every single cannon was loaded and being aimed. The Mock Town pirates were like scavengers, and all too eager to descend on an injured prey. It was the first time that Zoro wished they had a bigger ship. Right now, they were all inspecting the Going Merry and its injured crew.

The night was dark and the winds were vicious. It was the type of night when weak men became brutal.

"This is going to get nasty…" Zoro snarled, unsheathing his swords. In front of him, a wall of pirate ships was coming into view, their hulls blocking the way.

Zoro could hear the activity as the rest of the crew huddled around Luffy, but Zoro would not allow anything to disturb his injured captain's treatment.

He was surrounded a hundred to one, but even despite the howling wind, everything was quiet. Sanji was steering the rudder, everyone else was with Luffy. There was no one else on deck, and suddenly Zoro was grateful.

It was a dark night, and the type of night when _Zoro_ became murderous.

A large pirate ship in front of them turned and lowered its cannons; a clear declaration of war. It was a five mast galley, proudly flying a pirate flag that proclaimed the Hokahoka pirates. There had to be a hundred men on board, and dozens of cannons – all taking aiming against an injured and smaller ship…

_They don't stand a chance_, Zoro thought viciously, unsheathing his blades.

"_Come and get it_!" The swordsman growled with an evil grin, letting the mast fall straight into the wind, and the Going Merry lurched with sudden acceleration.

Around them, every single pirate ship burst into activity and opened its cannon ports. Zoro had had a very bad day and was not in the mood for mercy. He could hear the exclamations as the Going Merry burst forward with the wind. Every plank of wood groaned in agony. In front of him, the large hull of the Hokahoka pirate ship zoomed into sight, and Zoro's blades were singing for blood.

Vaguely, Zoro recalled a scene back in the Baratie – where he watched the World's Greatest Swordsman cut a galley into pieces with only a single swipe of a sword…

Everything was just about to explode, when suddenly a bright flare burst in the sky, highlighting the scene. At the mouth of the bay, a large battleship squatted against the choppy waves, its dull metal hull shining in the gloom. There was a distinctly bloodthirsty look about the battleship, and at once the makeshift pirate fleet started to panic.

The Marines had arrived.

* * *

Back at the pier, Berrit was the only one that managed to grab a hold of the ruins of the docks. The large man was barely able to reach the pier supports, while with his other hand he caught Isaac before he could drown. Still, both men were left dangling half in the ocean, only just keeping their upper bodies out of the water, while Berrit held the ruins of the dock for dear life.

The seawater sucked his strength, and Berrit was left so weak he couldn't even pull himself out of the water. Still, after a few minutes of struggling and constant curses of "Goddamn", Berrit succeeded in heaving Isaac on to what was left of the pier, and with both hands Berrit managed to drag himself up seconds later.

They were both panting heavily. Devil fruit abilities were uniquely vulnerable to the sea, and Berrit was left so sapped that he could hardly breathe. Their strength returned slowly.

After half a minute, Isaac groaned as he pulled himself upwards, still breathing heavily but at least able to move. Gingerly, Isaac danced across the splintered remains of the docks, and used a long plank of wood to recover the third member of their crew.

As a crew filled solely with Devil fruit users, drowning was a big concern. Despite his insanity, Marcus was paranoid enough to take precautions. Kuuigosu was an extremely rare type of wood; often consider to be the most buoyant material on the planet. It was the only material so buoyant that it could counteract act the sinking properties of Devil fruit users.

Marcus had a made a point of wearing a thick vest and underclothing made of Kuuigosu fibres, which could allow him to float in water. It wasn't perfect; the ocean still rendered him paralysed, and his buoyancy was risky at best. If he landed in the wrong position and his head fell under the water, he would have drowned, but in this case the Devil fruit hunter got lucky. Marcus' limp body was bobbing barely above the surface of the water as Isaac fished him out of the sea.

They were all gasping weakly before they collapsed onto the dry ground. Marcus was barely moving, and his breathing was very quiet. It took a few minutes before he recovered his strength to move.

In the distance, there were flashes of light and thunderous booms as the Going Merry engaged the pirate fleet, and the Marine battleship joined the chaos. The pirates were panicked and in shambles, firing their cannons with frenzy, while the marines were more disciplined. Their cannon blasts were dull thumps, unyielding and rhythmic.

The pirates were falling like flies beneath the battleship's bombardment. The ships were being splintered into wrecks. Several pirate ships caught fire, highlighting the scene in flickering flames. Hundreds, if not thousands, of scared pirates had fled from Mock Town, and they were swarming around the bay in chaos, charging the battleship and each other.

It looked like hell had erupted on the water. Marcus' eyes glinted hungrily.

"Isaac, Berrit…" Marcus muttered, his voice strangely calm. Isaac felt the shivers creep down his back. It would have been better if Marcus was fuming at the mouth. As soon as he turned eerily calm and composed… that was just a whole other level of crazy. "I want you to go get our ship and meet me at the mouth of the bay. Is that alright?"

Marcus' eyes were unblinking. It had been a long time since Isaac had seen Marcus _this_ crazy. "And what are you going to do?" Isaac gulped.

Without an answer, Marcus was already walking away. Around him, the air was shimmering so furiously that the nearby trees burst into flames.

* * *

_Luffy stayed in bed for a long time. His face was glum, and he didn't speak much. Shanks sit by the boy's side, drinking his bottle of rum, and together they stayed in a comfortable silence. Shanks wanted to go fetch Makino and the Mayor, but Luffy begged him just to stay. The pirate agreed without protest._

_The thoughts and emotions were still swirling wildly around Luffy's head. The bruises of his recent beating from Higuma were still fresh and painful, but that was nothing compared to the shame and guilt that lumped in Luffy's stomach and clogged up his lungs. Every time Luffy closed his eyes, he saw the jaws of the Sea King snapping down…_

"_Shanks," Luffy spoke finally. "How did you scare away the Lord of the Coast?"_

_The pirate fiddled with his straw hat uncertainly. "Well," Shanks hesitated. "It's kind of a secret…"_

_Luffy's eyes widened innocently. "Please!" Luffy begged. "You've got to tell me!"_

_He paused. "Well, the truth is…" Shanks grinned suddenly, holding up the half-empty bottle of rum. "The secret is rum!"_

"_Rum?!"_

"_Yep." He nodded firmly. "The truth is that Sea Kings hate the taste of ale. The secret to scaring them off is to get well and truly drunk!"_

_The child's mouth dropped believingly. "Wow!"_

_Shanks smiled widely. "It's all true! That's why all the best pirates drink all day long!"_

"_I see…" The boy muttered knowingly, before holding out his hand to Shanks expectantly. "Then let me have a drink!"_

_Shanks deadpanned, hesitating suddenly. "Wait a second… Makino is going to kill me if I actually let you believe that…" He murmured with dread. Somehow, the thought of the skinny barmaid was enough to frighten even one of the most infamous pirates of the age._

_He shook his head quickly. "I was only joking, Luffy," Shanks admitted quickly, before adding firmly, "And alcohol is something that only bad men drink and good children should avoid it all costs."_

_Luffy pouted, sitting cross-legged on his bed. "Then tell me the truth," the boy demanded. "How did you scare off that Sea King?"_

_Shanks thought about it for a long time, musing to himself. Luffy looked determined to know the truth. "Alright," Shanks admitted. "I actually used … well, I suppose you could call it a mysterious power."_

"Oh_," Luffy nodded understandingly. "I get it. A _mysterious_ power."_

_The pirate sighed, before relenting. "It was a force called Haki," Shanks confessed. "And it's not something that should be taken lightly…"_

_Luffy was bobbing eagerly, but it had been a stressful day and the adrenaline was still causing havoc with his body. Also, Luffy was not known for his good attention span or memory._

_It would be a very long time before he remembered this conversation again._

* * *

The cannons were like lightning strikes, smashing through everything in a rain of splinters. Around them, ships were being shredded like paper. The winds were strong, fanning the flames until the water was blazing.

It was pure chaos. Men were screaming. Cannons were firing randomly, and the explosions of gunpowder split the night. The pirates were caught in the choppy waves of the bay and the fierce winds of the growing storm. Huge ships collided with each other helplessly in the dark, all the while the Marine battleship unleashed a relentless salvo on everyone.

"Captain!" A panicked pirate screamed as another cannon ball wrapped through the deck. "This is a slaughter here!"

The captain, a grizzled old man with a peg leg, scowled as he watched his men abandon ship. "Stand your ground, you scurvy dogs!" The captain bellowed, pointing at the outline of the Going Merry that was slipping through the chaos. "There's over two hundred million up for grabs here! All we need is one good cannon blast!"

Before anyone could respond, everything turned quiet as a huge killing intent turned stepped onto the deck. None of the pirates had enough time to move. Zoro was walking calmly towards the captain. His black bandanna was on, and all three swords were drawn. His outline was highlighted by the smouldering wreckage of a pirate ship, and his eyes glinted demonically.

"Really?" Zoro murmured with bloodlust. "That's '_all'_ you need?"

Without a second's hesitation, Zoro charged. His blades spun impossibly fast, cutting through everything in his path. In a flash, he was at the other side of the ship, and the captain was falling to the ground in a shower of blood. Around him, the wooden planks of the galleon spilt and crumbled, before the entire deck snapped into half.

Any pirates still remaining jumped into the water without hesitation. Zoro's blades cut cleanly through the heavy wood, and within seconds ship was snapping to shreds. A heavy boom erupted from below deck as the gunpowder ignited, and Zoro barely had time to leap over the side before the whole ship exploded into flames.

Grunting, Zoro landed on a piece of wreckage, before sprinting across a bridge of flotsam. He leapt across the water, only just managing to grab a hold of the Going Merry before he pulled himself onto deck. Zoro's body was covered in ash, soot and blood, and was panting heavily.

"Marimo!" Sanji snapped irritably, trying desperately to steady the mast in the wind. "Where the hell did you go? We're a bit busy here!"

Zoro frowned but didn't respond. He wiped the blood off his blades on his clothes. Behind him, there was a path of a dozen wrecked ships smouldering in the water.

The Going Merry was practically bouncing up and down over choppy waves. The cannonballs were coming from all directions, but Sanji had taken control of the mast and was heaving to either side. The ship lurched constantly from side to side, dancing between the debris and the explosions.

Sanji looked dead on his feet, yet he was still fighting relentlessly against the wind. Usopp was up in the crow's nest, hanging on for dear life while screaming warnings downwards.

"How's Luffy?" Zoro muttered grimly, his eyes focused on the chaos around him, and the ships colliding with each other in all directions.

Sanji grunted. "Still unconscious. He has too many broken bones… it looks bad…."

The scowl on Zoro's face darkened. They were in the centre of the pandemonium now, and rapidly approaching the battleship at the mouth of the bay. The Marines were positioned upwind of the warzone, and any pirates that tried to charge them had to sail through constant bombardment.

The wrecks of huge ships were like leviathans lying dead in the water. The flames were devouring their wooden hulls, forming a treacherous path away from the island. It was a kill-zone.

"Hey!" Usopp screamed loudly from above, staring at the battleship with keen eyes. "That's Smoker's ship!"

"The shitty captain is really going all out this time," Sanji growled, just as he heaved the mast across the deck to the other side. The wind hit the sail like a sledgehammer, and the Going Merry lurched dangerously to the side, just as another cannonball bounced off the water next to them.

"We need Nami," Zoro murmured. Only their navigator was skilled enough to lead them through this. Sanji nodded in agreement, all flirtation forgotten as he manned steered the ship. Staggering across the rocking wood, Zoro dived below deck.

In the meeting room, Luffy had been placed over the table and bandaged up. Chopper was frantically working to keep the captain alive, while around him Nami and Vivi were frantically trying to help. Robin was the most composed out of all them, but even her eyes were flickering uncertainly. Carue had been frantically running around the room in panic, before Vivi threw the large deck into the hull to get him out of the way.

"Nami!" Zoro shouted loudly. The whole ship was rocking dangerously, and he had to hold on to the door frame just to stand upright. "We need you outside!"

The navigator's eyes were red from tears, and she stood close to Luffy's side, holding his hand tightly. Nami looked unwilling to move.

"Go," Robin said firmly, but not unkindly, staring at the girl with dark eyes. "There's nothing you can do here. I'll stay with Luffy."

The archaeologist was invaluable in the room. She was using her powers constantly, sprouting up hands to hold Luffy steady while Chopper worked. Robin held the doctor's medicine, wrapped up bandages and even stitched up wounds all at the same time. She was even holding the table in place through hands sprouting from the floor, and stopping furniture from rolling across the room.

Still, Nami hesitated. "You're needed outside," Robin pressed, her voice steady and reassuring. On the table, Robin was holding Luffy's other hand. "You have to go."

Nami relented, letting go off Luffy's hand unwillingly. "Keep him safe," Nami begged desperately, staring at Robin pleadingly.

"I will," Robin muttered, just as Nami darted out of the room. Zoro slammed the door behind her.

Gently, she turned to Vivi, who was standing hesitantly in the corner, biting her lip. "You should go too," Robin advised. "They need everyone out there."

"But–" Vivi protested weakly.

"Go where you're needed," Robin pushed softly, placing a reassuring hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Go where you can do some good."

The princess sighed. A day ago, Vivi would have bristled defensively if Robin acted so close to her, but there was an unspoken truce. Vivi thought back to Mock Town, where Robin had saved her life from Marcus…

"I'll go," Vivi agreed, casting a final lingering glance at Luffy's injured body. Robin smiled comfortingly as she left the room.

Instantly, they were alone. Chopper was in full doctor mood, and not wasting any concentration on anything other than his patient. Robin could hear the battle outside, but strangely it felt like it was another world away.

Robin leant over the table and sighed as she stared at Luffy's wounds. They looked like more injuries and broken bones than any human could survive, but Luffy had been fighting right until the end. There was a knot in Robin's stomach that she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

Now that the over girls were gone, Robin leant over and gently caressed Luffy's shoulder, feeling the lean muscles and rough skin. Chopper was too distracted to notice the strangely intimate gesture.

* * *

A cannonball flashed through the air, but Zoro was faster. In a second, Zoro was leaping from the figurehead, his swords spinning as they cut effortlessly through the metal. Two halves of the cannonball span in to the water, one of them leaving a sizable chunk in the side of the ship.

Still, the battleship's cannons were already reloading.

"I can't keep doing this!" Zoro shouted urgently. Already, the Going Merry was worse for wear. They had taken shrapnel and debris mostly, but a good cannon strike might cripple the ship.

"Pull the sails starboard!" Nami ordered loudly, critically inspecting the wind and the burning debris. Between the smoke and the darkness, visibility was very poor. That was probably one of the reasons they hadn't already been hit.

Behind them, there were very few whole ships left. Everything was in pieces and in flames.

Sanji complied without hesitation. "We can skid across the current close to the cliffs!" Nami declared finally. "With the wind behind us we'll be gone before they can turn around, and we'll run across the island and down south until we get away."

"Nami! You are so amazing!" Sanji swooned, still wrestling with the flapping mast. A normal human could never have held the mast steady in such a strong wind, and even Sanji was struggling.

The navigator didn't respond. Her eyes focused upwards to the sky, staring at the dark cloud that was hovering over the island. Her heart was pounding uneasily. _What's up with that cloud? _She thought darkly. _This wind came out of nowhere, and I've never seen a storm like this_…

The Going Merry was picking up speed as it accelerated towards the mouth of the bay. Zoro was just about to feel hopeful, when suddenly Usopp screamed from the crow's nest. "Guys!" The sharpshooter squealed. "We have a problem!"

From the nearby cliffs, the sound of laughter echoed in the dark. A figure was standing at the edge of the water, staring out at the sea, all the while the air around him smouldered bright red. Vivi recognised that laughter first, but she couldn't even duck before the first shockwave hit them.

The air pulsed and exploded with pure pressure. The blast hit the Going Merry at the rear port side, shredding through wood in a cloud of splinters.

"I told you, beautiful!" Marcus cackled maniacally. "I told you that I wouldn't let you get away!"

Marcus thrust his hands forward again. The impact collided through the hull of the Going Merry, splitting through wood effortlessly. The whole ship shuddered dangerously. Every plank of wood groaned in agony, and the Going Merry slowly fall deeper into the water.

"No…" Vivi whispered breathlessly. "_How is he still alive_?"

Around her, Usopp was barely hanging onto the crow's nest. The Going Merry was thrashing furiously in the water, despite all of Sanji's attempts to keep the sail steady.

"We've lost the rudder…" Nami realised with dread, her voice quiet. The back of the ship had been pulverised by Marcus' first attack, snapping the rudder away. You couldn't steer a rudderless ship. They were at the mercy of wind, and drifting dangerously close to the cliffs.

Behind, the Marine battleship was already turning at catching up. Vivi could practically hear the sound of all those cannons being reloaded.

The sound of laughter was deafening. Marcus slowly started to walk across the cliffs, an aura of flames surrounding him.

"I told you…" Marcus muttered quietly. His eyes were shining with bloodlust. "I will never let you go."

* * *

"_Whoa!" Luffy squealed excitedly. The seven year old was practically jumping up and down on the bed. "That sounds so cool! Can I use Hacky?"_

"_It's Haki," Shanks sighed, leaning back on his chair. "And… well, it's a bit complicated."_

_The boy pouted. He didn't like complicated things. "Aww… what do you mean?"_

_The pirate spent a long time choosing his words. "Well, you see, there's no real requirement to use Haki," he said eventually. "Anybody _could_ use it, but very few people actually do."_

"_So you can teach me then?" Luffy proclaimed brightly._

_Shanks shook his head. "No, it's not something that could be taught. I might be able to help you refine it, but everyone has to discover it on their own."_

"_Then teach me!" He demanded, not really listening. "I bet I can do it straight away!"_

"_Luffy…" Shanks muttered exasperatedly. "Don't worry about Haki. It'll come to you when it needs to come. As a matter of fact, there's only one condition that you've got to fulfil to use Haki."_

"_What?"_

_Shanks smiled gently. "You've simply got to know what's important."_

_Luffy's face scrunched up. "But I know what's important!"_

"_Really? Do you?"_

"_Yep!" Luffy nodded firmly. "Meat is important. Breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, supper, tea and desert are extra important. Also, I really like fish from…"_

_Shanks just laughed, looking at Luffy curiously. "You'll learn eventually," he promised._

_The boy crossed his arms moodily. "Hmph! This Hicky sounds _lame_." _

"_I told you it wasn't simple."_

_There was a moment's silence, but Luffy was curious. "What is Hickory anyways?"_

"_You're getting it more wrong every time…" Shanks sighed, wondering why he even bothered. Truth be told, the older pirate was more than a bit curious about Luffy's potential for Haki, but the child just wasn't ready for the ability yet. "Haki is a very mystical force. Lots of people have different definitions for it."_

"_Like what?"_

_Shanks scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Some call it the physical manifestation of pure willpower – the ability to enforce strength of character on to the world. Others consider it a divine gift, only given to a select few. Others believe that everyone is born with Haki and use it regularly, but not many are capable of actively applying it."_

_Luffy's head tilted to the side. "I don't get it."_

_The pirate just smiled, his eyes glazing over. "The best definition I ever heard," Shanks mused. "was something that my old captain told me a very long time ago…"_

"_What?" Luffy demanded finally, after a few seconds._

_There was a thoughtful, faraway look on Shank's face, as the pirate remembered something that happened a long time ago. "Haki…" Shanks muttered curiously. "…is the ability to defy fate itself."_

* * *

"Move!" Zoro bellowed loudly. The cannonballs were streaming by them. The Going Merry was still out of range, but the battleship was gaining on them. Between the bombardment and Marcus' assault, the small caravel was quickly taking severe damage.

Sanji and Nami were left trying to desperately steer the ship using the mast alone. They had barely succeeded in avoiding crashing into the coast. The wind was behind them, and pushing the ship away from Jaya island. In calmer conditions, they might have had a chance, but now the Going Merry was at the whim the weather.

Zoro and Vivi stood guard at the rear of the ship trying to stop the salvo of cannonballs. Another metal ball exploded towards, bouncing over the surface of the water, only to collide with a wall of sand swarming around the ship.

The swordsman could only stare at the unexpected strength. Vivi was panting heavily, but showing no hesitation and more and more control over her abilities.

"I will _not_ be useless," Vivi growled under her breath. Her eyes were focused on the cliffs, where the outline of Marcus was disappearing into the night. The princess' hands were trembling, just as she threw up another blade of sand to deflect a cannonball.

Usopp was somewhere below deck, trying to patch up the holes in the ship. The Going Merry would be lucky to survive this in one piece. Vivi's powers were the only thing stopping the cannons, but she couldn't keep it up indefinitely. Zoro never stood a chance of stopping the bombardment once the battleship got closer, and the Going Merry was lagging too badly in the water to outrun them.

Sooner or later, the Marines would catch up, and Zoro wasn't sure how much fight they had left in them.

The swordsman really wished that Luffy was here.

* * *

Marcus was growling for blood as Berrit and Isaac pulled the ship up to the coast. Their boat was a small skipper, slender and lean with a large mast. Berrit manned the sail while Isaac steered, and the skipper cut through the water smoothly.

As the ship pulled near, Marcus dropped onto the boat. Everyone was quiet.

"After them," Marcus ordered finally.

Isaac cleared his throat nervously. "Are you sure that's wise? The Marines have them now, we don't want to get in their way…"

Marcus didn't say a word. Berrit was watching quietly too. Isaac hesitated, but continued, "I'm sure we can pick up the Sand Sand fruit later. Let's not do anything too risky."

The slender man pointed below the deck of the skipper, where rows of reinforced boxes stood neatly in a thin corridor. "We already have _twelve_ Devil fruits with us right now…" Isaac reasoned. "That's over a _billion_ Beli on the black-market. It'd be nice if we had the Sand Sand fruit too, but it's not worth the chance."

There were a few seconds of silence. Finally, Marcus cleared his throat. "_After them_."

"But –"

"I _need_ to kill something," Marcus said finally, his voice calm. The blood was still dripping down his body. "It's either you or them."

Isaac gulped. Around Marcus, the air was glowing a dull red. It had been years since he'd seen Marcus this bloodthirsty.

Without another word, Isaac twisted the steering wheel while Berrit unfurled the sails.

* * *

On the battleship, Tashigi was frowning as she watched the battle through binoculars. Around her, the ship was in frenzy as the cannons were reloaded and fired relentless. The booms were so loud that everyone had to wear earmuffs.

"They're sailing low in the water!" Tashigi reported eventually, forced to shout loudly over the chaos. "We're going to catch up shortly. We need to prepare the boarding party!"

At the helm, Captain Smoker never seemed to hear her. The captain was staring fixedly on the Going Merry, barely moving. Next to him, Hina stood with her arms crossed, inspecting the crew critically.

"Captain!" Tashigi shouted louder. "We need to prepare the boarding party!"

Still, Smoker didn't react. He was concentrating hard, with dark lines across his forehead. Grumbling, Tashigi dropped the binoculars and ran to the captains' side.

"Smoker, it's getting close now. We should prepare for capturing them," Tashigi said finally, dropping her voice as she approached.

"Do nothing of the sort," Smoker ordered woodenly, not even looking at her. "Proceed with the bombardment."

Tashigi frowned. "But sir! They're practically dead in the water already! We need to bring the pirates into custody."

There was a short silence. Hina was staring at Smoker curiously, but didn't say anything. "We will not be taking them into custody," Smoker replied eventually. "The bombardment will not stop."

The understanding hit Tashigi like a ton of bricks. The lieutenant's mouth dropped open. "You mean to _kill_ them?" She stammered. "But we can't…"

"They're pirates. We can and we will." Still, Smoker didn't even look at her.

Tashigi could only stare. "But they don't deserve–"

"They're pirates, lieutenant! I will not risk them getting away again." Smoker muttered, his hands clenching into fists. "_You have your orders._"

"No!" Tashigi protested, raising her voice in response. Around her, a few sailors stopped to stare at the confrontation, but Hina chased the spectators away. "We can't kill them! Capture them, give them a trial, put them in jail, but we can't just execute them!"

"_You have your orders!_" Smoker repeated through gritted teeth. He didn't even glance towards her. Tashigi felt the outrage rising in her.

"Is this about the court-martial?" Tashigi demanded. "Since when have _you_ cared what the superiors think? How can you justify choosing your career over… over… _justice_!"

A vein in Smoker's forehead bulged. The cannons were booming loudly, and the pirate ship was coming closer and closer. A cannonball landed firmly in the starboard side, and Tashigi could hear the wood collapsing even from here.

"Answer me, damn it!" Tashigi screamed, losing all composure. The blood was rushing to her face, but she couldn't just watch the pirates die like this. "Who gives a damn about a court-martial, we–"

"_It's not a court-martial!_" Smoker snapped finally, turning to face Tashigi. "It's a not court-martial. _You're_ being charged by a military tribunal. Charged with _treason_."

Tashigi skin turned numb. Strangely, the cannons around her became quieter. "…what?"

"For your actions in Alabasta, you've been charged with pirate sympathy, and Admiral Akainu wants to make an _example_," Smoker spat the words foully. "He's pushing for the death penalty."

"But… but…" Tashigi's face paled. "That's…"

"What?" Smoker demanded, pushing up against her coldly. "_Unfair_?"

Tashigi couldn't respond. Smoker's voice was quiet. "Perhaps it is," the captain conceded finally, his eyes flickering. "And perhaps these pirates don't deserve death either. But there's no choice right now. The only thing that's going to save your head is if you prove there's no sympathy here."

Tashigi was breathing heavily. A flicker of compassion passed across Smoker's face. "Perhaps they don't deserve to die like this," he admitted. "But it's you or them. And _I will always_ choose the live of my subordinate over the lives of some pirates."

Smoker was walking away coldly, leaving a shell-shocked Tashigi standing with her mouth open. "You have your _orders_," Smoker said decisively. "The bombardment will not stop until they're all dead in the water."

* * *

In the hold of the battleship, a prisoner was screaming loudly. The prisoner had been chained to the wall and gagged repeatedly, but he was still somehow managing to dance and revolve in circles despite the manacles.

"Stop joking around!" Bentham squealed, the tears pouring down his face. "What's going on out there?!"

* * *

The battleship was pulling up alongside the Going Merry. Suddenly, they were facing the salvo from the entire starboard side of the ship.

Nothing could stop the cannons. They couldn't outrun them, and they couldn't avoid it. The steel spheres burst through the Going Merry like it was made of paper, throwing up clouds of debris.

Within seconds, the Going Merry was riddled with holes, and the crew could only run for cover.

A cannon strike nearly took the head off the Merry's figurehead.

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Usopp screamed helplessly, just before another cannonball burst through the centre mast. Usopp was left screaming as the mass fell towards the water, still trapped in the crow's nest.

The mast slammed across the deck with a dull thud, splitting the wooden planks into pieces before leaning over the edge. At once, the wind was gone and Merry dragged backwards in the water, forcing everyone to hold on for cover. The ship start to tit dangerous from the mast dragging to the side, all the while the battleship continued to blow holes through the hull.

Sanji cursed before rushing to save Usopp. Zoro was forced to clutch on to the ship for cover, all the while the splinters tore into his flesh. Zoro could feel the wood creaking as it slowly fell apart under the bombardment, splitting like wet paper.

The ocean was rapidly rising up to swallow the ship, while the wooden planks split into pieces and the whole ship was being shredded into flotsam.

Grunting, Zoro pushed himself upwards. His swords flashed as they split a cannonball into two, but there were dozens more that he couldn't stop. The huge bulk of the battleship loomed over them, all the cannons pointing down.

In the distance, Zoro glimpsed a glow as a small skipper chopped through the waves quickly towards them. The swordsman recognised the man standing at the front of the ship instantly. He wondered vaguely if there would be anything left by the time they arrived.

There was a sudden quiet as the cannons were all reloaded. The silence was deafening, and Zoro knew that the ship wouldn't hold up against another salvo. It was barely being held together as it was.

Next to him, Nami and Vivi huddled together, taking cover from the shrapnel. Already, the water was creeping up half of the deck. The sky was so dark it was hard to see anything.

"We've got bring the oars out!" Nami gasped breathlessly. Her hands were trembling. "We've got to get away!"

Gradually, the ship started to accelerate backwards. Zoro was left nearly speechless as he stared out into the water around him.

The sound of rushing water became louder. The wreck of the Going Merry was slowly twisting around, caught in a sudden and furious current. Zoro could only stare out into the ocean.

A maelstrom was forming in the dark water.

"I don't think oars are going to help…" Zoro gulped, tightening his grip on to the wood. He heard Usopp start to scream, but that was the last thing he recognised before everything started to accelerate faster and faster.

The ocean blurred with speed, washing over the entire ship. Within seconds, the maelstrom expanded like a gaping beast, and roared as swallowed everything. Tonnes of water gushed around. The ship battered around like a leaf in a storm.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Zoro screamed loudly, watching the ocean transform into a giant sinkhole. The Marine battleship was getting further and further away, but they were heavy enough to keep control against the current. Still, Zoro could see the cannons being loaded again.

Nami and Vivi were clutching each other, trying desperately to stay a hold in the chaos. Zoro couldn't even see Sanji. The swordsman didn't dare let go to check on Luffy and the others.

With a thunderous groan, the Going Merry started to tilt even further. The ship was being twisted around in the current wildly. Finally, physics couldn't be denied and the whole ship started to capsize.

Zoro had to dive for cover. The ship landed on its side with a huge tidal wave, and suddenly Zoro was left holding the railing above the foaming water.

He briefly glimpsed Nami holding tightly to Vivi, while clutching at a hole on the deck. Sanji only just managed to pull Usopp onto the figurehead; all the while the broken mast was dragged off the ship and swallowed by the gaping hole in the middle of the ocean.

Everything was spinning so quickly. Zoro could barely move. There were large booms and explosions of water as the Marines opened fire again, barely missing the ship. One more impact and they were done for…

Suddenly, a huge roar caused the water to shake. The swordsman's mouth dropped open as he saw a gigantic wall of scales erupt from the ocean.

"OH, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Zoro bellowed, watching the enormous Sea King thrash against the maelstrom.

It was a monster five times the size of a galleon. It was so large it caused a tidal wave with every whip of its serpentine body. Its scales were bright green and glistening. It was a monster of pure muscle, yet even the huge Sea King was struggling to escape the furious maelstrom.

The sound of the water, the roaring and the cannons drown out everything. The only thing that Zoro could hear was his own furiously beating heart as the Sea King turned, reared his head and launched itself at the Going Merry with a gaping mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth.

"There's no way that we're _this_ unlucky…" Zoro mumbled to himself, just before a tidal wave of sea water and fangs swallowed everything.

* * *

"ZEHAHAHAHA!" The sound of furious laughter echoed across Jaya Island. Marshal D. Teach sat on a hill overlooking the ocean, munching cherry pie while enjoying the show in front of him.

At this distance, the maelstrom was a black spot off the coast of Jaya. The Sea King was a flash of green in the darkness. Still, the screaming and the sounds of battle were clearly audible.

After a couple of minutes, there were heavy footsteps as the helmsman, Jesus Burgess, stomped down next to the captain. Blackbeard didn't either react.

"Captain," Burgess greeted finally, staring out at the battle off the coast. The huge man was a bulk of pure muscle, and frowning slightly. "Enjoying yourself?"

Teach grin stretched from ear to ear. "Best show I've seen in years!" He exclaimed, motioning across the destruction over the island. In the bay, the ruins of dozens of pirate ships were still burning brightly.

Burgess laughed too, watching the battle in the maelstrom calmly. "You know," the helmsman muttered finally. "I still say we should have captured them when we had the chance."

"Trust me…" Blackbeard replied with a smirk, just as another roar from the Sea King caused the island to shake. "They're _way_ more trouble than it's worth."

Off the coast of the island, even at this distance, things looked hopeless for the pirates. They were facing a battleship, a sea monster, and a psychopath, all the while trapped in a maelstrom and being pulled to pieces.

"But they're going to die!" Burgess protested eventually.

Blackbeard shook his head, sending crumbs off cherry pie spilling out of his mouth. "Nah…" The captain muttered confidently. "Some people don't die as easily as that…"

* * *

The cannons had a punched a wall in the meeting room wall, and it was rapidly filling with water. As the ship capsized, Robin was left hanging off the walls, trying desperately to keep Luffy safe.

Chopper had been hit hard by a large chunk of shrapnel. The doctor was hanging under Robin's arm, unconscious and bleeding from the head.

Luffy's limp body was covered in bandages and completely unresponsive. Robin had several arms wrapped around his chest, pinning him to the wall, but it was getting harder and harder to the hold on.

The gushing water was filling the room as the Going Merry sunk deeper and deeper. She was pushed up against the corner of the room, but there was nowhere else to run.

Strangely, Robin felt weirdly calm. Somehow, she knew that she shouldn't be surprised. No matter where she went, and no matter who took her in, catastrophe would always follow. It had been that way ever since she was eight. She was a fool to think that this would be different.

She only wished she had a bit more time…

Robin was perfectly calm as she stared at Luffy's beaten face for a few seconds. She thought about it for a while, but it really wasn't much of a decision. They were all about to die, after all.

"Oh, screw it," Robin sighed, before darting forward and pressing her lips firmly against Luffy's.

* * *

"_Do you want to hear a story?" Shanks muttered absentmindedly. "It's about the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger?"_

"_The Pirate King?" Luffy was instantly eager, sitting up in his bed and bobbing slightly._

_Shanks still had a faraway gaze over his eyes. "You know, lots of people think of him as a mighty conqueror, but he wasn't," the pirate mused, staring at the stump of his arm. "Truth be told, Roger was actually pretty weak."_

"_What?!" Luffy shouted with shock. The seven year old was flaying wildly and scrunching up his face. "But he was awesome! He sailed around the world! He was the Pirate King!"_

_Shanks nodded. "Yep, all true." Shanks took a deep gulp of rum. "But Roger was born with a deliberating illness. His body was very frail. By all rights, he shouldn't have survived past childhood. He needed constant medical attention to stay alive, but his body kept on falling apart."_

_A faint smile played over the pirate's lips. "You see, Roger was fated to die young, sick and in bed," Shanks muttered. "But, fortunately, Roger was never one for following the rules."_

_Luffy was quiet as he listened with confusion. Outside, dusk was falling over Foosha village. "Roger once said that 'fate' is like a spoiled child," Shanks mused. "Fate is cruel, mean and prone to throwing tantrums when it doesn't get its own way. Only a fool would indulgence fate by obsessing over what is 'lucky' or 'destined'…"_

_Shanks took a deep breath. "That is the strength that Roger had. That is the power that Haki truly is…" He explained softly. "It is the ability to achieve what is unachievable, and to hit what is untouchable. It is the power to break the rules and defy fate itself."_

_Slowly, Shanks pulled himself up in his chair. "Roger said that the concept of fate was nothing more than a sick joke," Shanks muttered. "…I suppose that's why he died laughing…"_

"_I don't understand." Luffy scratched his head with confusion._

_Shanks just grinned. "You will," the pirate promised._

_Around them, things became dark as night fell quickly over the village. A sympathetic expression fell over Shanks face. "I'm sorry, Luffy, but it's too late now," Shanks said softly. "It's time to go."_

_Luffy shook his head determinedly. "No!" The child protested. "I don't want you to leave!"_

_His smile widened. "I'm not going anywhere," Shanks replied. "But it's time for you to go now. Your friends need you."_

"_What…?" Luffy muttered with confusion, but then he could instantly hear the roar of the ocean. Something soft pressed up against his lips…_

_Realisation struck. "Oh." Luffy exclaimed dumbly. It wasn't a child's voice anymore._

_Luffy glanced downwards. Suddenly, his limbs were long and muscled, and his chest was broad and chiselled. He was wearing a red vest and blue shorts, but they were tattered and almost ruined. There was a large scar over his heart. He was back in a seventeen year olds body._

_Shanks looked at him comfortingly. Outside, a hurricane was rapidly tearing apart his dream world._

_Luffy took a deep breath and stared at his role model. Already, he could feel himself falling back into reality. "I'm really sorry about your hat," Luffy confessed guiltily._

_Shanks only laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Luffy…" The pirate replied softly. "That hat has always been the _least_ important thing I gave you."_

* * *

Luffy never remembered waking up. All he knew was that suddenly he was conscious, covered in bandages, and being held in Robin's arms as the water flooded the cabin.

Robin was standing above him as he opened his eyes. Her face was blushing.

"Luffy!" She gasped. "You're awake…!"

He nodded absentmindedly, already standing up. The Going Merry was in shambles. The water was dragging the ship down. A Sea King was threatening to pulverize the ship. The cannon blasts were pounding all around him. Luffy body screamed in pain as he moved, but he could barely feel it.

"Careful!" Robin exclaimed worriedly. "Your body–"

"I don't care," Luffy shrugged, already walking for the door. "They're only broken bones."

Luffy pulled himself to the door, smashing through the debris that blocked the way. Everything felt so surreal, like he was still dreaming. The storm was raging furiously, but Luffy barely noticed it. The Going Merry was in tatters, but Luffy just walked by. The only thing he could hear was the screams of his friends, and Luffy knew what was important.

Outside, the salty water splashed against his face. Everything was spinning. Luffy looked upwards just to see a giant sea monster rearing his head and roaring thunderously. Its pupils were as thin as slits; the monster was crazed into a frenzy by the maelstrom and the weather. The beast focused on the Going Merry, before lunching downwards with a mouthful of sharp teeth…

Suddenly, Luffy was seven years old again, watching the Sea King chomp down towards him…

But this time, he wasn't defenceless.

Slowly, Luffy opened his mouth and quietly spoke a single word…

"_Run_."

It was barely more than a whisper, yet somehow it still managed to drown out every other sound. Everything pulsed with pure power emitted from Luffy, and the world froze.

The Sea King's eyes rolled and its huge body crashed limply into the water with a large tidal wave.

Every cannon on the battleship fell silent.

Birds all over Jaya fell out of the sky.

All eyes were instantly focused on Luffy, standing motionless, covered in bandages, on the deck as the maelstrom raged. He had never looked so threatening.

"How did you…?" Nami gasped breathlessly, wide-eyed.

* * *

On the battleship, the cigars from Smoker's mouth dropped to the ground. Around him, his sailors collapsed to the ground limply.

"What the…?" Smoker grunted in surprise. He had felt that power before. He just had never expected to feel it _here_.

"What's happening?" Tashigi exclaimed loudly, watching everyone else fall unconscious. Tashigi, Smoker and Hina were the only ones still standing. The cannons fell silent as there was no one left to fire them.

"This is impossible…" Smoker growled, wide-eyed, staring at the source of the power. The Going Merry was rocking over the maelstrom, quickly spinning towards the centre.

Already, without the sailors to keep the course, the battleship was drifting upwind and getting caught in the maelstrom current. Smoker glimpsed another ship, a small skipper, bounding over the waves and heading straight for the centre. All three boats were going to collide in the centre.

Around them, the water was starting to bubble.

"Wake the men up quickly!" Smoker ordered loudly, recovering from his shock. "Get the sails under control and start up the cannon again! We've got to destroy them before–"

Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by a tremendous boom from beneath the ocean. He barely managed to glimpse downwards before suddenly the whole ocean was rising upwards to meet them.

The knock-up stream had arrived.

* * *

_A few hours later, in the remains of Mock Town…_

The sun was rising slowly, and the entire island was in a state of shock. Mock Town had been practically wiped off the map, every ship had been wrecked, and the bay had been turned into a warzone. The charred, skeletal remains of huge galleons were gently washing up onto the beaches. Pirates and citizens alike cautiously crawled out of the forests, either after washing up on the coast or after taking shelter for the night.

In this distance, a huge dark cloud was creeping away across the horizon.

A man was standing on the ruined pier, stammering as he pointed up at the cloud. "They flew into the sky!" The shell-shocked man stuttered, his expensive clothing in tatters. "I saw them! They flew up into the sky!"

Already, several pirates were noticing that their Log poses were pointing upwards. The rumours spread like wildfire.

'Big Knife' Sarkies pulled himself up out of the ruins. Last night had been a blur. He still was trying and failing to make sense of it. Slowly, Sarkies stumbled through the ruins of Mock Town and headed east.

Over a small hill, brightly coloured cottages by the ocean came into view. The Tropical Hotel appeared to be the only part of the town that had survived unscathed.

"Sarkies!" An eager voice called out to him happily. The first mate turned to see Lily and a handful of Bellamy Pirates rushing over to him. "Thank god you're alright!"

There were very few Bellamy Pirates left. Most of the 'New Age' of piracy had fled as soon as the things got hard.

"Lily!" Sarkies gasped. Lily looked terrible. She had lost her sunglasses, and her fancy clothing was ruined. Her blond hair was dirty and terrible. Sarkies looked just as bad, but he hadn't time to notice. "What happened? Did you talk to the boss yet?"

She shook her head nervously. "Not yet," she stammered. "But it's Bellamy… he's…"

She pointed to a limp body that the others were carrying gingerly. Sarkies' mouth dropped open. "Bellamy's _alive_?"

Lily nodded. "Barely," she admitted worriedly. "He must have turned it into a spring before it snapped. He's not in good shape, though. He can barely breathe and it doesn't look nice…"

Sarkies gulped. "We've got to tell the boss," the first mate decided finally. "He's not going to let anyone get away with hurting us…"

The sound of laughter drifted over the group. "What exactly will I do?" A smug voice asked, just as a figure trotted out of the Tropical Hotel.

Doflamingo grinned as he stared at the pirates outside of his door. He was a huge man wearing bright pink with purple shades. The Warlord's blond hair was a mess, and he was yawning slightly. It looked like he had just woken up, but he was already laughing.

"Boss!" Sarkies shouted with relief. "You've got to help us! Bellamy's hurt and –"

Suddenly, Sarkies realised that he couldn't move his body. The rest of the crew were all standing unnaturally stiff as well. Doflamingo was fiddling his fingers idly.

"Oh? Bellamy's hurt?" Doflamingo yawned. "That's a shame. I wanted to hurt him myself."

Sarkies' eyes filled with fear. His hands were moving by themselves, and slowly his fingers started to wrap around his own throat. The Bellamy Pirates could only gasp as they were forced to strangle themselves to death.

Doflamingo casually kicked Bellamy's limp body, while the pirates fell to the ground one by one. "I should never have given trash like you permission to use my flag," Doflamingo mused. "I've been _looking_ for a reason to get rid of you."

The body of Sarkies' dropped to the ground, like a puppet with its strings cut. Doflamingo simply laughed. Slowly, Doflamingo turned to stare at the horizon, where the millennium cumulonimbus was still visible, casting a dark shadow over the ocean.

"Still…" Doflamingo wondered, scratching his chin. "Hmm… I wonder…?"

Slowly, strings started to rise from Doflamingo's body. They spun upwards, rising into the sky and latching onto the clouds. Doflamingo gradually started to ascend up off the ground. Within seconds, Doflamingo was flying straight upwards, as if levitating.

"Young master!" A young woman exclaimed, rushing out of the hotel. She was wearing a skimpy maid outfit and smoking a cigarette. "Where are you going?"

"I've been working too hard!" Doflamingo laughed loudly, already flying up into the clouds. "I deserve a holiday! And I want to go to Sky Island!"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Everything is set for the Skypiea Arc. God, I'm looking forward to that one.**

**List of people who ended up in the sky:**

**\- All of the Straw Hat Pirates.**

**\- The Marines; Smoker, Tashigi, Hina, Fullbody and Jango. Also, Mr 2 Bon Clay is riding along in their prison.**

**\- The Devil fruit hunters; Berrit, Isaac and Dan 'The Demonic' Marcus.**

**\- Also, Doflamingo is coming along in the rear…**

**Sky Island just got a lot more crowded. I'm sure Enel is going to be pleased…**

* * *

**Also, I've been looking for a Beta reader for this story for a while now, and so I've now resorted to shameless begging. If anyone's interested being a Beta, then please let me know.**


	11. Chapter 11: Welcome to Heaven

**Nine Minutes**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. I do, however, know the location of Eiichiro Oda's pet cat, which coincidentally kidnapped last week. I'm willing to trade, Oda.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**After a hard fight, Luffy and crew barely escape with their lives. Then, the knock-up streams shoots them all into to the sky...**_

* * *

**Chapter 11: Welcome to Heaven**

* * *

The knock-up stream was not a common occurrence. It was a natural disaster.

Firstly, the water started to bulge, as if a huge creature was rising out of the surface. It was surprisingly gentle at first, but the torrent of water rising from below couldn't be stopped. As soon as the waves broke on the edge of the bulge, then all hell rose up from the depths.

The stream of water shot up furiously into the sky. Millions of gallons of water exploded upwards. The explosion caused a shockwave that could be felt for miles, and the updraft was so powerful it cut through the air like a blade.

The Going Merry was fired upwards like a pebble in a typhoon. There was no restraining it and no running away. The knock-up stream was like an enormous cannon of water firing out of the sea.

Usopp blinked and suddenly they were flying upwards into the sky, moving so fast that the paint was being stripped off the Merry's hull. The surge of wind lifted the ship effortlessly into the sky, all the while planks were torn to pieces from the force. Usopp only managed to glimpse Jaya Island for a second before it disappeared into the distance.

The whole world flipped ninety degrees.

The sniper grabbed a hold tightly to the ruined remains of the mast, but he could feel the wood cracking. The ruined Merry was skidding across the vertical stream of water, all the while the wind barely forced them upwards. The ship was balancing on a knife's edge, Usopp realised suddenly. As soon as the updraft faded they would fall backwards.

Vaguely, he glimpsed Luffy being held by Zoro and Nami tightly. Sanji had grabbed a hold of the railings, while Vivi was close by. They were all screaming with terror. Strangely, Usopp was the only one who was quiet.

Almost gradually, Usopp could feel the ship twisting in mid-air. Without a mast and a ruined hull, there was no way for it sail parallel to the stream. In what felt like a lifetime, the Merry slowly rotated around until Usopp was facing straight downwards, and then they were spinning in the air while the up-draft threw them vertically.

Usopp's heart was pounding like a drum as he realised what has happening. They were moving so fast it was hard to even breathe, and then his vision started to blur. His grip on the mast slipped slightly.

Around him, he could _feel_ the Going Merry breaking to pieces. With every broken plank, a twinge of pain shot through his chest. They had taken too much damage and there was too much force. The whole ship was being torn to pieces. The ship just wasn't designed for this.

There was no way they were going to survive.

_I'm so sorry Merry;_ Usopp thought desperately, the tears filling up his eyes even as his vision started to fade, _I should have taken better care of you…_

Usopp's felt his fingers lose their grip completely, and then the next second he felt himself falling backwards.

"_No!" _A voice called suddenly. Usopp's eyes shot open as he felt someone grab a hold of his wrist. _"I won't let it end like this!"_

There was someone standing above Usopp, yet between the spinning and the darkness it was so hard to see probably. A delicate and soft hand was holding onto Usopp's wrist, but the grip was like iron. The voice was high pitched and almost childish, but there was a strange ringing sound behind it. It sounded almost familiar.

Usopp squinted. He could barely make out the outline of a small figure wearing a raincoat, effortlessly holding onto the ship.

"_I can take you a bit further,"_ the voice said firmly_. "I promise."_

Around him, the Going Merry started to shift. Seconds ago it was falling apart, but suddenly it was like the whole ship came to life. A rope darted outwards from the sail like a snake and wrapped around Usopp's body, tightly securing him to the ship. The hand let go of Usopp's wrist and the figure disappeared.

Suddenly, with a huge creak, the mast started to lift upwards as if possessed by a supernatural force. Usopp could feel the wood groan as it was meshed back together. As if by magic, the sail unfurled and tightened all by itself. Instantly, the updraft hit the sail and the Going Merry started to stabilise.

"_A bit further…"_ The voice echoed around him. The voice sounded exhausted, straining to talk, but it was still determined.

Through the corner of his eye, Usopp glimpsed planks of wood being knit together. Nails hammered themselves into the wood. Rips in the sails stitched themselves up.

Usopp could feel the gush of wind as Merry was pushed back towards the vertical current of water, and for a few seconds it was like the whole ship was flying straight upwards.

A wall of dark cloud appeared in front of them. Somehow, Usopp knew that they weren't going to die here.

"Who are you?" Usopp gasped between breaths. He couldn't see the figure anymore, but the sniper knew it was still around.

There was the sound of childish laughter, exhausted but relieved.

"_I'm your friend…"_

Then the Going Merry burst through the cloud, and everything went black.

* * *

_Seven days later..._

It was a long time before Luffy woke up. He tried to cling to sleep as long as possible, but he couldn't. Slowly and unwillingly, his eyes started to flicker as he drifted back towards consciousness. He tried to move but his body was feeling strange. His breaths felt very shallow.

"Well, it's about time," Zoro's voice split through his Luffy's dreamlike state. The captain's eyes jumped open. "You have any idea how long you've been asleep?"

At once, Luffy pulled himself up straight, only for crippling pain to burst through his body. Involuntarily, a hoarse shriek spurted from his lips.

"Luffy!" Chopper's high pitched voice was concerned and disapproving. "Try not to move! You're too hurt!"

Gradually, Luffy managed to focus on his environment. He was in a white room, and lying on a very soft bed. Outside, it was very bright and sunny. Luffy had to blink twice as he processed his unfamiliar surroundings.

The rest of his crew were standing over him. Zoro and Chopper were close by his side while the others were spread out over the weird room. Nami and Vivi were standing together by the doorway, looking at Luffy passively.

"What happened?" Luffy stuttered groggily. The last thing he remembered, the Sea King collapsed in front of him, and then the world exploded upwards.

The crew shared an awkward glance with each other. "Quite a bit," Zoro said finally, not quite sure where to start.

"Huh," Luffy muttered dumbly. He was sore, tired, and his stomach was growling hungrily. His head was pounding furiously.

There was a moment's silence. A vein stared to bulge on Nami's head as she stared at Luffy with sudden anger.

"Excuse me," Nami said with forced sweetness. "There's something that I need to get off my chest first." She turned to Chopper. "Doctor, is Luffy still in a critical state of recovery?"

The reindeer shook his head nervously. Nami smiled, standing over Luffy. And then she punched him hard in the arm.

"Ow!" Luffy exclaimed with shock. "What was that for?"

Nami responded with another punch. The rest of the crew was watching her with their mouths open, staring at her as she continued to pummel Luffy with frustration.

"You bastard!" Nami grunted. Luffy was just flinching and trying to cover himself. "Never do that to me again!"

"Will you quit it?" Luffy protested.

"No! I've been waiting a week for the chance to hit you, so now I get to hit you!" Nami shouted loudly.

Slowly, Vivi raised her hand. "It's my turn afterwards," the princess said sweetly.

The rest of the pirates just stared. Robin sat observing from a corner of the room, a hand placed delicately over her mouth in an effort to contain her chuckles. Chopper was staring at Nami with amazement.

"Why are girls so mean?" Chopper exclaimed.

"Not a clue," Zoro replied under his breath, watching as his captain was assaulted by the orange-haired woman. The swordsman valued his anatomy too much to try and interfere. "Don't try and understand them."

Luffy's arm was aching now. He tried to struggle, but Nami was not to be stopped. "What's this for?" He complained. "What did I do?"

"'_I will never forgive you'_?!" Nami demanded loudly, and suddenly the memories came crashing back. "How dare you to that to us?"

The room went quiet. Luffy's mouth dropped open. Luffy locked eyes with Vivi, who was staring at him quietly while biting her lip. The tears were swelling up in Nami's eyes. No one said a word for a long time.

"That man was going to kill you!" Luffy shouted back eventually. "I couldn't let you die!"

Nami looked at him incredulously, before punching him again in the arm. "So instead you wanted us to watch him kill _you_?"

Luffy didn't hesitate. "If that kept Vivi safe!"

Suddenly, Vivi charged forward, and punched him in the other arm. She was holding back tears too. "Bastard!" Vivi cursed uncharacteristically, punching him again.

Luffy grabbed her wrist, ignoring the pain shooting through his body. "I couldn't let him kill you!"

"That wasn't your choice to make!" Vivi shouted back, thrashing him with her other arm.

The captain struggled helplessly. "What would you've wanted me to do?"

"What we always do!" Vivi screamed, punching him again. "_Fight_!"

Slowly, Luffy stopped struggling. Suddenly, he was back in the desert of Alabasta, screaming something similar at Vivi.

It was a long time before Luffy spoke again. "I couldn't survive watching him hurt you," he said quietly.

Vivi's eyes softened. "But we couldn't watch you die, either," she whispered gently.

"He was too strong!"

"When has that ever mattered before?" Vivi replied. "It doesn't matter if you're beaten, because we'll always be there to save you."

Luffy was left speechless. Vivi punched him again, just for good measure. "Don't you ever dare sacrifice yourself for us again," Vivi warned. "Because that's just another way of killing _us_."

It was a long time before Luffy spoke again. The tension seemed to ease out of the room. He rubbed his shoulder gingerly. "My arm really hurts," Luffy admitted finally.

"That's for what you put us through," Vivi replied darkly.

Luffy was just about to protest, when suddenly the princess enveloped him in a tight hug. She was on top of him, wrapping her arms around his chest and squeezing her body against him. Vivi's cheek rubbed up closely against his.

Vivi's heart started to pound, and she was so close to Luffy that she wondered if he could hear it too.

"And this is for coming back," Vivi whispered into his ear.

The breath was squeezed out of his body. The hug was so tight and his body was so sore that it was just as painful as the beating, but somehow Luffy didn't mind. It lasted for a long time, before Vivi unwillingly pulled herself up off him.

Nobody said a word. Nami felt her heart flutter, and she couldn't trust herself to speak.

"I think it's time we'd shown Mr. Captain what's outside," Robin spoke up for the first time, smiling gently.

Luffy blinked. He'd only been awake for a few minutes, and he was already tired out. "Huh? What's outside?"

The archaeologist's smile widened slightly. "You're really going to like it," she promised mysteriously.

A grin flashed across their faces. Luffy looked confused. He tried to move, but his body winced painfully. "Why? Where are we?"

Carefully, Zoro lifted him up under one arm. Nami lifted him by the other. "A lot happened when you were out," Zoro explained with a smirk.

Slowly and painfully, they lifted Luffy up so he could see out the window.

Luffy's jaw hit the floor.

The sun was brighter and closer in the sky than he had ever seen it. Golden sunlight streamed over a sea of light blue clouds that stretched for as far as the eye could see. There was a gentle breeze from across the sky, bringing with it the soft scent of moisture. The view was so bright and spotless that Luffy had to blink several times before he could believe his eyes.

"Yeah," Zoro said smugly. "Welcome to Sky Island."

* * *

Those next few hours were a blur for Luffy. He wasn't sure whether it was lack of oxygen, starvation, or the strong painkillers that Chopper prescribed, but it was hard for him to focus when suddenly everything had changed. If it wasn't for the pain that shot through his body, he would have been convinced it was a dream.

Everyone else had already gotten used to the serene setting, but it blew Luffy away. They were staying in a large and spacious house overlooking the cloud sea, built with white stones on top of an island cloud. There was wood and other ordinary materials scattered around, but it was all so bright it was nearly blinding.

A slender woman with dark eyes and hair so blond it was nearly white skittered gingerly around the house. Between everything that was going on, it was a long time before Luffy even thought to ask her name. It took a few hours before Luffy realised that her hair was groomed upwards into two antennae, and that she had short, stubby wings jutting out of her back. Interestingly enough, that wasn't even close to the strangest thing Luffy had seen all day.

The food helped a lot. Sanji was already set up in the kitchen, and it wasn't long after Luffy woke up before he served platters of large, almost fluffy, lobsters, well cooked and covered in sauces. They were sitting in a spacious living room, on chairs made out of clouds that were strangely stiff, around a small table as the plates were placed down. The smell was delicious. Luffy devoured them so quickly that they had to clean up lobster claws from the ceiling, before receiving an angry beating from Sanji for his lack of table manners. Still, Sanji didn't complain as he brought in seconds.

Luffy was too amazed even for questions, and the food was far too good for him to bother asking them. Soon, the laughter started to echo around the cloud house, and Luffy kept on eating with his friends.

Somewhere between the food and the laughter, pieces of explanation drifted through. "It was amazing! We were knocked into the sky!" Chopper squealed excitedly, before adding in a nervous whimper. "And also really, really frightening!"

"The Merry," Luffy realised suddenly, spitting lobster across the room. Sanji was standing in front of the bemused blond woman, covering her eyes from the disgusting sight. "Is the Merry alright?"

"It's getting there," Nami reassured, sitting next to Luffy. "She wasn't damaged as much as we'd feared. Usopp has been fixing her up ever since we landed."

No one noticed that Usopp was staying strangely quiet. The sniper smiled absently, deep in thought.

On the other side of Luffy, Vivi smiled brightly. "Miss Conis here was kind enough to take us in," the princess explained, pointing to the shy blond woman. "We've been staying here for a couple of days already."

"Oh, this is your house?" Luffy turned to Conis. His mouth was chewing furiously, causing an enraged Sanji to scream about manners. Conis just looked bemused. "Thank you very much!" Luffy bowed deeply.

"It's not very much…" Conis blushed, not meeting his gaze. "This is my father's house, really."

Luffy wanted to ask her more, but Chopper was chattering too excitedly to be ignored. The reindeer was practically bobbing up and down as he described giant balloon octopuses, cloud factories, and a scary man in a large mask that they'd seen from a distance. Chopper's voice started to blur as he described a road of cloud, a giant ship-carrying shrimp, and a gatekeeper who didn't accept any money.

By the time the meal was over, Luffy was so full his stomach was aching and so confused his head was spinning. Still, his friends were all around him and he felt so happy that he didn't want to think about anything else.

It was fine so long as he didn't move too quickly and felt the pain in his body. Each time Luffy looked downwards and saw the bandages, all of the bad thoughts and memories came rushing back to him. Still, Luffy would rather take the whole beating again then do anything to ruin this moment.

Afterwards, the pirates left the house. The building was built onto a huge island of clouds, yet the ground was surprisingly firm and dry. Large palm trees drifted scattered across the island, swaying in the breeze. The island was dominated by a huge staircase running through the centre, leading downwards towards the vast sea of clouds.

For the hundredth time today, Luffy's mouth dropped open with the spectacular view. Walking closely beside him, Nami giggled. "This is Angel Beach," she explained softly. Luffy met her eyes carefully. After the morning's drama, everything had eased up between them. Nami was far too relieved to stay angry. "On the Sky Island of Skypiea. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

The beach was softer than the rest of the island, made out of an island cloud slightly damper and so malleable Luffy could push his foot through it. The Going Merry was anchored uncertainly into the beach, still with large patches over the numerous holes. Still, between the warm sun and the cloudless sky, everything looked was too gloriously pleasant to stop the party.

Vivi and Chopper were already rushing ahead. Vivi was barefoot and wearing tight shorts and a loose purple t-shirt, much to Sanji's delight. There was no sand on the beach, but the princess had that covered. Within seconds, streams of sand were spinning from her fingertips, each grain sparkling in the sunlight as it covered the beach. Usopp exclaimed loudly and rushed to build a sandcastle, while Sanji exclaimed even louder and rushed to chase after Vivi.

Luffy's laughter echoed around the beach. Zoro cut down some large coconut-like fruits, and carefully relaxed in the sun. Carue joined them from 'guarding' the Going Merry, and shortly Luffy was riding atop of the duck's head as they chased Vivi around the beach. The sounds of happy squeals filled the air.

Only Nami and Robin were left hanging back. Robin chuckled softly as she watched everyone else, but she kept a careful eye of Nami standing next to her. The navigator's expression was unreadable.

"You should go have fun too," Robin said coolly. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

Nami didn't respond. Her eyes were focused on Luffy. Luffy and Carue had just tackled a giggling Vivi to the ground, and the captain was laughing as he started a sand fight with the princess. Needless to say, Vivi was winning effortlessly. Vivi was laughing harder than she had in a week.

Robin kept one eye discreetly focused on Nami. "You deserve some fun," the archaeologist said finally. "You've been sitting by Luffy's side nonstop for the last week."

Some unreadable emotion flashed across Nami's face. Eventually, she seemed to reach a decision. Nami flashed Robin a smile, before taking off her shirt to reveal a blue bikini that fit her lean and curvy figure exceptionally well. Sanji was practically spinning with bliss as Nami rushed in to join the game.

_Of course_, Robin thought quietly, _Vivi had been sitting by Luffy's side for just as long_. There was a problem that Robin never had the energy to deal with now.

* * *

The sun was slowly starting to descend by the time the pirates started to wind down. They were so high up in the sky that evening seemed to last forever as the sun crept along the wide horizon. The perfect cloud sea was doused in red.

Even Luffy collapsed with exhaustion eventually. His wounds were starting to catch up to him and his body was screaming in pain, but Luffy refused to do anything less than enjoy the moment. Beside him, Usopp was lying on his back, idly making angels in the sand. Chopper and Carue were piled onto a heap, snoring gently.

Zoro and Robin stood under the palm trees for most the time, drinking coconut juice in relaxation. Conis had come down and sat with them for a while, but the angel politely kept her distance. Briefly, Conis' father, Pagaya, appeared onto the beach riding a weird boat. He was an absentminded man with a bushy beard, who apologised profusely after he nearly crashed into them, and then apologised even harder when he forgot to introduce himself as Conis' father and a dial technician. Half an hour later, as dusk fell, Pagaya apologised generously before he left to pick up something he had forgotten at the office. Luffy was too crashed out to pay much attention.

Quietly, Luffy stared out into the red sky. The day had been so relaxing it felt unreal, but there was nothing to stop his thoughts as everything calmed down.

Luffy slowly reached up to his chest, feeling the scar over his heart. For the first time, Luffy realised how small the scar was. It was a knife wound, a small gash, and not even very long. The skin was rough and raw, but the wound itself wasn't that big.

_Not very big_, Luffy decided eventually, _but deep enough_.

Finally, the captain pulled himself up off the beach. His bones were aching again, and he couldn't stop himself from limping as he walked.

Nami and Vivi were lying down by the edge of the beach. Vivi was resting against a palm tree and reading a book, while Nami was sunbathing on the ground. The navigator had unstrapped her bra as she bathed in the warm glow, and Vivi had buried Sanji in a pile of sand when he tried to peek.

"Vivi. Nami," Luffy called quietly, walking towards the girls. His tone was subdued for the first time all day. Vivi looked up from her book curiously, while Nami covered her breasts as she lifted her head.

Slowly, Luffy sat down next to them. There were a few seconds silence. "You were right," Luffy admitted finally, his eyes apologetic. "I shouldn't have forced you away like I did in Mock Town. It was unfair of me to say that to you."

It took a long time for Vivi to respond. "Luffy, it's alright," she said softly.

He shook his head. "No it's not." _It hasn't been alright for a while_, Luffy thought quietly. "I should never have put you in that position. I should have trusted you more. I'm sorry."

Nami's mouth dropped open quietly. Luffy sighed, but he needed to say it aloud. He pulled himself to his feet, wincing in pain. "I just want you to know something…" Luffy muttered to Vivi solemnly. "I wouldn't be able to survive if anything happened to you."

Just before he walked away, Luffy glanced at Nami. "And I haven't forgotten my promise," he said earnestly, his voice low but strong. "I _will_ get stronger."

He turned and limped away, leaving the two girls behind him completely speechless. Luffy's fists clenched as the memories of his defeat in Mock Town flashed before his eyes. He'd thought he had grown stronger, but he had still barely survived.

The memory of the Sea King lunging towards him was vivid in his memory. He couldn't ignore it anymore. He remembered that power that he unleashed at the moment. It had been like reaching inside of his body and pulling out something explosive. _If only I knew what it was_, Luffy thought with frustration.

He could remember that dream, lying back in Foosha Village with Shanks. Luffy was still trying to understand it. His head was a mess and he didn't like it. The thoughts were rumbling around in his head and making him dizzy.

Half an hour later, the pirates slowly started to head back to Conis' house. The Going Merry was still being repaired, so the angel had kindly offered for them to stay at hers. They were all tired and quiet as they started the ascent up the stairs of cloud.

Conis was there to greet them as they filed into the house. Most of the crew were sleepy and content. No one noticed how uncomfortable Nami and Vivi looked. Luffy was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open.

The house was large enough that they could all double up to a room. Luffy had a room for himself after his injuries. The bed was so soft that he was surprised that he didn't collapse into unconsciousness as soon as he landed, but he still couldn't sleep properly. His tender bones were aching painfully.

_I need to get stronger_. That was the most prominent thing he could think about. There was too much at stake for him to stay as he was.

Today had been a joy. Luffy loved every second and he was beyond thankful that he had been able to enjoy it. Sky Island was beautiful and amazing. It was with faint surprise that Luffy realised that he just didn't believe it.

It was too _unreal_. It was too happy and peaceful here, and Luffy knew that it wouldn't last. He would revel in the time he had, but he knew with absolutely certainty that it couldn't stay this way.

Outside of his room, he heard Sanji stomping into his room with Usopp. Luffy could see Conis staring at him through the doorway. "Ah!" The chef exclaimed blissfully. "This place is heaven!"

A few weeks ago, Luffy wouldn't have been able to detect the guilt in Conis' expression, or the hesitation and nervousness whenever she talked to them.

_I need to get stronger faster_. There were too many powerful guys out there, and Luffy wasn't prepared to fight them. He needed an edge right now.

_I need to eat a Devil fruit_.

* * *

Nami and Vivi were sharing a room. It was strange, but nobody had even considered the possibility that the girls _wouldn't_ share a room. Now, they were both awkwardly lying together in a double bed, in a room that seemed to be getting smaller with every second.

Neither of them said a word. They both knew that the other was wide awake. Outside, the last rays of the sun were fading below the horizon.

Finally, Nami had to speak. "I can't do this anymore!" She exclaimed, but quietly enough not to be overheard. The navigator was pulling herself up in bed, turning to face Vivi seriously. The princess didn't respond. "I need to know."

It took a long time for Vivi to respond. "Know what?" She asked carefully.

Nami cleared her throat. "Are you…" She stammered. "Do you _like_ Luffy?"

Vivi forced a fake smile. "Do _you_?"

"Of course not!" Nami replied too quickly.

The princess just nodded her head in agreement. They were both staring at each other in the dark. Nami was leaning against the wall, Vivi was covering herself with blankets. Around her, the bed slowly started to fill with sand.

"I mean, he's an idiot," Nami continued quietly. "And it would just be too weird."

"Totally," Vivi nodded eagerly, listening very carefully to what wasn't being said.

Nami's smile was wooden. "And it's not anything serious," she muttered. "It isn't anything at all."

"Totally." Vivi kicked herself quietly. _Stop saying 'totally'_, she thought frantically, but her mouth wasn't working properly.

"Uh-huh," Nami agreed. The room became even more awkward. The seconds dragged on like hours.

Eventually, Nami's expression softened. She sighed quietly. "Let's not do anything we'd regret, okay?" Nami murmured so quietly that Vivi could barely hear her. "Friendship always comes first, right?"

The relief poured through Vivi's body. "I couldn't agree more," she replied earnestly.

Nami smiled. Vivi nodded. They both turned around so they weren't facing each other. Neither of them had much sleep that night.

* * *

Luffy groaned and turned but sleep didn't come. The room was dark and everything was quiet. He was tired, but he just couldn't close his eyes.

There were light footsteps from outside, barely audible as bare feet walked across the soft floor. Luffy rolled around in bed just as a figure appeared in the doorframe. Luffy blinked, trying to focus his eyes in the dark as the figure approached.

"Robin?" Luffy realised finally, his voice thick with confusion. Robin smiled in the dark, before bending over towards the bedside table and pressing down on a weird shell-like object.

Luffy jumped as the shell burst into a bright, clean light. He remembered Usopp saying something about dials at dinner, but he hadn't really processed it. Still, after today he was all out of surprises to give.

Robin slowly sat by the bottom of the bed, a faint smile playing at her lips. The dark haired woman was wearing her pyjamas; a grey, extra-large nightgown that draped over her body like a blanket. Her long, bare legs shone in the gloom.

"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked finally.

Robin didn't respond, but she just quietly reached behind her and lifted out a thick book, bound in a well-worn leather case. Luffy grinned brightly. "You brought the book," he said quietly with genuine pleasure. "I thought you would've finished it by now."

"I enjoy reading it with you," Robin replied with a small shrug. The grin on Luffy's face stretched from ear to ear.

He had never really read a book in his life. Luffy had always found them boring. Strangely, it wasn't boring when he read with Robin. Luffy felt a warm glow bubbling in his chest, and he was grinning like a fool as he pulled himself up in bed.

As he moved, a jolt of pain flashed through his back. His smile disappeared with a painful wince. Suddenly, he realised how tired and sore he was. "I'm completely exhausted," he admitted sadly. He felt completely wiped out after recovering for so long.

Robin looked at him sympathetically. "That's alright," she said quietly, dropping the book on to the bedside table. "We can read another time."

Still, Robin made no move to leave. Instead, she pulled herself her further on to Luffy's bed, and then quietly stretched out flat across the mattress. All of a sudden, Luffy noticed how lean and long her body was. His breathing became shallow.

Robin was already squirming to get comfortable on the pillow beside him. Her dark hair spread across the bed in a mess, but she just gently rose her hand to Luffy's shoulder and pulled him backwards. Hesitantly, Luffy lied down next to her, and she wrapped her arms around his torso comfortably.

Strangely, his heartbeat turned calm. The pain eased away, and all Luffy could feel was the warmth of her body. A distant smile crossed Luffy's face, before he stretched across a turned off the light.

In the dark, all he could feel was Robin's arms wrapped around him. Slowly, he squirmed backwards until he felt her body pressed against his, and all of his worries just seemed to disappear. Luffy reached up wordlessly and held Robin's hand softly, before closing his eyes gently.

He was fast asleep within seconds. Luffy wouldn't be able to remember his dream, but he knew he enjoyed it.

* * *

Usopp waited until the house was dead quiet before he crept out of his bed. Sanji was sleeping on the sofa in his room, but Usopp knew the chef was deep asleep as he had his legs wrapped around a pillow and was quietly murmuring "Vivi, Nami, Robin…" to himself on repeat. Once or twice, Usopp heard Conis' name mentioned too.

Quietly, the sniper tiptoed out of the house. Conis' pet cloud fox, Su, stared at him suspiciously, but the animal was too shy to approach or make much of a noise. The creaking of Usopp opening the door felt painfully loud in the quiet, but he was out of the house and running down the cloud stairs within seconds.

Outside, the moon was closer and more bulbous than it had ever been in the Blue Sea. Angel Island glowed eerily in the pure white moonlight. Everything was dead quiet, and Usopp never stopped tiptoeing even as he sprinted down towards the beach.

The Going Merry sat motionlessly on the sea cloud. There wasn't a breeze or a wave to be seen. Instead, the ship just sat completely still. The smiling ram figurehead was patched up with dozens of nails and poor carpentry, but it still seemed to staring outwards.

Usopp spent a long time staring at the ship quietly. Usopp had thought that he knew the Going Merry better than anywhere else in the world, but now he wasn't so sure. The sniper was biting his nails nervously as he thought. Somehow, bathed in brilliant moonlight, the Merry seemed almost… _human_.

Eventually, Usopp reached a decision and walked towards the boat. He waded through the light ocean clouds, so soft it barely felt like water, before pulling himself up the ladder and climbing onto the boat.

On deck, Usopp thought about it for a bit longer, and then got to work. It was the first time in a week that everyone else was gone, and Usopp had to make the most of it. The ship was apparently deserted, and there was something that he needed to check.

Usopp worked methodically. He started at the bottom of the ship and worked upwards. The Going Merry was not a big boat, but there were still a surprising number of places to hide, particularly for a small person.

Usopp searched through the lounge, lifting up the sofa and checking behind the refrigerator. He raided the men's room, storming through piles of dirty clothing and pulling up filthy furniture. He spent a long time in the storage room, searching thoroughly for each barrel in turn, and then spent just as long sorting through the crates in the cannon deck. He even went into the women's room, checking carefully to make sure that Nami wasn't anywhere nearby, and searched through every dresser and chest. Usopp made a point of closing his eyes as he went through the girls' underwear, just to be safe.

Finally, Usopp went into the bathroom. He spent a while staring at the latrine, before deciding that no self-respecting magical deity would hide in _there_.

Afterwards, Usopp went back up on deck, and sat and thought for a little while.

Then, he really went to work. Usopp peeled up floorboards and checked above the ceiling. He searched between gaps in the hull, and then went through every plank of wood searching for hidden compartments. There were piles of dust that had never seen the open air, yet he still checked under them for any clues. The sniper spent hours going through every nook and cranny; anywhere that a person might be able to hide undetected.

Ultimately, he found nothing. Apparently, the Going Merry was completely and utterly deserted. Usopp sat on deck, drumming his fingers against the wood. There was an uneasy silence about the ship, and the hairs on his neck never stopped tingling.

_No_, Usopp thought eventually, _you're not fooling me_.

Slowly, Usopp stood up again, but this time he closed his eyes tightly and placed his hand over them until he couldn't see a thing. Then he started searching again. Usopp knew the Merry's layout perfectly, but he still ended up stubbing his toe and walking into walls. He groped blindly around the ship, feeling every surface and searching for something that he couldn't quite explain.

A couple of hours later, Usopp ended up in the storage room, blindly feeling across the surfaces of the cannons and the barrels. He had searched through the entire ship, but for some reason he kept on coming back here. After a while, Usopp carefully sat down cross-legged in the middle of the room, his eyes still shut tight, deliberating to himself.

"I know you're here," Usopp said finally, speaking out loud for the first time. His voice seemed to echo around the deathly quiet ship. "I can't see you and I can't touch you, but I know you're here."

There was no audible response. The room was apparently completely deserted.

Still, standing a few steps behind Usopp, a small person in a large raincoat looked nervous.

* * *

The night descended over the island floating across the sky. Bathed in moonlight, dark shadows began to move.

A filthy figure darted quickly through the mud and huge tree trunks. The man was filthy, dirty and exhausted. He looked ready to collapse. He never got very far before he heard a sharp whistle blare from behind him. The prisoner never even had the strength to scream as monster of a dog exploded out of undergrowth. There was a flash of fangs and everything turned quiet.

"Another fortunate soul freed from the wickedness of this cruel world." A voice drawled across the forest. A large man, bald and muscular, walked across the blood stained ground carrying an oversized sword. His voice was solemn, before he added, "And it looks like I win the game."

In a flash of wings, another man appeared on a nearby branch, riding a huge feathery bird. "You bastard! I practically had him!" The rider growled, straightening his helmet and goggles.

The muscular man just smirked. Behind, a spherical beast of a man bounced towards them, smiling playfully. "Ho, ho hoooo!" The fat one laughed in a high pitched voice. "Does it matter? There's nothing left but pitiful games, anyways."

"Agreed," the bird rider growled darkly, heaving a huge lance. "We should have ascended to Fairy Vearth by now…"

"We do as God commands," Another man ordered firmly. He was tall, dark and imposing, with a mess of tendril-like hair. His eyes were weeping after not blinking for too long. "Next up: illegal trespassers have entered this country."

The four men gathered around the corpse of their prey, not paying it much attention. All of them had short, stumpy wings protruding from their backs.

"Again?" The fat, bouncy one groaned. "Leave it to someone else."

"We just got the message," the dark one continued regardless, picking out his ear dumbly. "Eight citizens of the Blue Sea have arrived on a ship."

Instantly, the bird rider looked thoughtful. "Eight?" The man smirked, stroking his goatee. "That's the perfect number. Let's leave the Berets out of this – we can each get two. The first one to kill their pair wins the game."

* * *

On the other side of Skypiea, a very different meeting was happening by moonlight. Hidden in a cave of cloud, as far as possible from Upper Yard, a large man in a military uniform paced uneasily.

The cave was bare and empty, despite being used for a meeting room for six years. His companions were late, and that made Captain McKinley of the White Berets very nervous.

After half an hour, just when McKinley was debating leaving, he heard a distinctive whinny coming from outside, mixed in with the flapping of wings. The captain sighed with relief as an old man, skinny but with heavy armour, came clunking towards the cave.

"Do not do that to me!" McKinley snapped irritably. "You know how much I risk coming here? Don't ever be late again."

"My apologies," the old man responded in a hoarse voice. The man was very old with a large white beard and a wrinkled face. His arms were so skinny he looked frail underneath his huge armour, but he still carried himself with strength. Gan Fall shook McKinley's hand gratefully. "Something came up in the White Sea. I will tell you all about it when everyone is here."

McKinley nodded. Even after six years, the captain still took orders dutifully from the old man. Absentmindedly, the man's hand moved to touch the scar under his eye, a wound from the war that had never healed well.

"It's getting harder and harder to make excuses. Something is happening in Upper Yard that has everyone stretched, but I don't know what," McKinley admitted. "They give me orders and I have to follow them, but it's not like I'm part of their group."

Gan Fall nodded sadly, dropping his metal lance to the ground. "I know. You have done well to remain undercover for so long. Still, we must persevere if we wish to save this country."

McKinley nodded, but then there was the sound of a large waver booming through across the cloud sea. The dial powered boat collided roughly with the island cloud, followed by the sound of someone apologising tenderly to no one in particular. A couple of seconds later, a bald man of average height walked into the cave, rubbing his head nervously.

"Ah, I'm late," Pagaya muttered apologetically. "I am so very sorry."

Gan Fall just nodded, and then extended his hand to the dial mechanic graciously. Out of the three them, Pagaya seemed the most composed and relaxed. Then again, Pagaya kept his eyes practically closed and his mouth hidden under a large beard; he was a very hard person to read.

_Only three_, Gan Fall thought darkly, _three old men to fight an army_. Gan Fall was an exceptionally old man now, and it was getting tiresome to fight against such large odds. Six years ago, when the group was formed, he had been almost optimistic that the fight wasn't over yet. But in six years, they had achieved very little.

This was the meeting of the Skypiea Underground Resistance. Three men plotting to overthrow a _God_.

McKinley was the first member of the Resistance, and the only remaining member of Gan Fall's old Enforcers. After the war, McKinley had pledged loyally to the usurper in order to continue the fight in secret. Now, McKinley was the captain of the White Berets, a once noble organisation forced to act as Enel's corrupt goons. For six long years, the soldier had followed the orders of the man he despised, all the while waiting for the right opportunity to do some good.

As for Gan Fall himself, Enel had let the defeated ex-God live as a show of strength or, more likely, disdain. The old man forced himself to make the most of the situation, donning the armour of his youth and styling himself as 'The Knight of the Sky', attempting to undermine Enel's rule and discreetly smuggle the captive Enforcers out of Upper Yard. So far, Gan Fall wondered if Enel had even noticed.

The third member of the group was the only one who had never fought in the war, and perhaps the most useful. Pagaya was, as far as most people saw, a completely ordinary citizen, except for his extreme absentmindedness. It took Gan Fall a long time to wonder about everything that Pagaya kept hidden.

The man had volunteered for the Resistance because he believed that Enel was bad for the country. Pagaya kept tabs on the state of Angel Island, recruiting fighters where possible, and he was the only one who could move around unsuspected. Also, as a dial technician, Pagaya was uniquely suited to build the dial weapons that any army needed to be effective.

Few people looked at Pagaya and saw a revolutionary, and in truth he wasn't really. Pagaya was just a father fighting for a better future for his daughter. Gan Fall knew that despite the man's humble and inattentive personality, Pagaya also kept a bazooka hidden in his waver, reserved solely for anyone who dared to threaten his daughter.

Gan Fall took a deep breath, wondering where to begin. "Let us start with the monthly reports," he decided finally, before turning to the White Beret Captain. "McKinley, what is the state of the public in Angel Island?"

McKinley hesitated slightly. "I don't know," he confessed. "It's hard to tell who actually worships Enel as God, and who is just putting on the act. Everyone believes me to be in Enel's pocket, and they will not approach me."

Gan Fall nodded sympathetically. The old man knew how hard the ruse was for the soldier. "If I were to launch an uprising tomorrow…" Gan Fall pressed. "How many Skypieans would stand by me?"

McKinley bit his lip. "I doubt there would be many. The people are too scared; they have been living under the rule of Enel for so long. The man can sense any rebellion before it even occurs, and his power is great enough to destroy anyone at any time."

"It is as I feared then," Gan Fall sighed, before turning to Pagaya. "What about the dial weapons? How many men could you arm sufficiently for combat?"

"I'm sorry; I don't have much experience building weapons," Pagaya said humbly, but Gan Fall wasn't fooled. "Yet I've stocked piled enough weapons to put up a good fight. I could arm two dozen men to the teeth for dial warfare."

"Good," the old man nodded. "We will need every weapon we can get."

"There is something else too," Pagaya continued. "A group of pirates from the Blue Sea arrived at my house the other day. They are staying with my daughter right now."

"Hmm… Are they strong? Could they be convinced to fight?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure," he confessed. "Their captain was severely injured, but they do seem fairly capable."

Gan Fall stroked his beard thoughtfully. Pagaya always made a point of opening his doors to travellers, in the hope of recruiting aid against Enel. "That is good news," he mused. "On my way here, I encountered a Marine battleship that had been knocked into the sky. I was late because I paused to explain their surroundings and pointed them in the right direction. Perhaps we can make use of this…"

McKinley looked worried. "Are you sure it's safe to shelter pirates? Particularly with your daughter involved?" the man asked Pagaya. "You know that if I get the order, I will have no choice but to arrest them."

"It is worth the risk," Gan Fall said quickly, before Pagaya could apologise. "We need to recruit whatever help we can get."

"Still…" McKinley said nervously. "It would be better if we could include your daughter in our plans–"

"_No_." Pagaya's voice was suddenly and uncharacteristically sharp. All apologies were gone. "You will not involve Conis in this at all. Do I make myself clear?"

"But –"

"If Enel's Mantra senses any rebellious thoughts from her, then she will be in great danger. I will not put my daughter at risk," Pagaya said firmly. "I already cause her too much suffering. Every traveller that enters my home, I leave her to call the Super Express Speed Shrimp so that she can prove her loyalty. I refuse to put anything more on her shoulders."

The man's voice left no room for arguments. "Very well," Gan Fall conceded. "And I swear that I will be nearby to protect your daughter."

The dial technician nodded, and the atmosphere relaxed. Gan Fall had yet to break any of his promises.

"We are still massively disadvantaged," McKinley muttered darkly. "We don't stand a chance against Enel by ourselves. Have you tried joining forces with the Shandorians?"

Gan Fall shook his head sadly. "So long as 'Berserker' Wiper holds sway over their military, they will never see me as anything else as their enemy."

"Then we're on our own," McKinley said bitterly. "Just like for the last six years, the war is hopeless."

The ex-God paused a long time before replying. "This need not be a war at all," he said finally. "If Enel dies, then all of his supporters will be nothing more than thugs."

The room turned tense. McKinley frowned. "Are you going to attempt assassination?" The captain mused. "After all, you on Pierre are the only one capable of flying up to God's Shrine. I could provide you with a Seastone blade."

The old man sighed. "Enel would sense me coming as soon as I entered Upper Yard. His Mantra makes any assassination impossible, even more than his Devil fruit does. No, the only way we are getting rid of Enel is if someone is strong enough to defeat him."

McKinley snorted. Pagaya was listening quietly. Gan Fall stared at his fingers nervously.

"The only thing that can stand toe-to-toe with a Logia Devil fruit…" Gan Fall explained quietly, reaching behind him. "…is another Logia Devil fruit."

With great care, Gan Fall lifted out a large silver fruit, shaped like a bundle of grapes and covered in swirls. McKinley gasped. Even Pagaya looked shocked.

"Is that…?"

"Yes," Gan Fall nodded solemnly. "A couple of weeks ago, a pirate crew called the Eraser Pirates was attacked by raiders and sunk on the White Sea. I was nearby but couldn't save it, but in the wreckage I found an interesting journal, detailing an auction that was occurring near the Summit of High West."

Both other men were staring at Gan Fall intently. "It was a long shot," Gan Fall continued. "But I was desperate and there was nothing else to do. I flew Pierre hard and fast, and I managed to steal the fruit before the auction began."

"I'm sorry, but _which_ fruit is it?" Pagaya asked cautiously.

"I'm not sure," Gan Fall admitted. "But it is a Logia, of that I'm sure."

A hopeful glow appeared in McKinley's eyes. "So if you eat that…" he muttered. "Then you could face Enel on equal terms! You could end this whole war!"

"Possibly," Gan Fall scowled. "But even with the power of a Logia, I am not convinced that I could be victorious against Enel. I am too old, and Enel is in his prime. We only have one fruit and one chance – I will not risk it gambling on an old man."

McKinley's mouth dropped open. Slowly, the three members of Resistance looked at each other, and then stared down at the fruit. The Devil fruit seemed to pulse with unnatural energy.

"So then the question becomes…" Gan Fall muttered under his breath. "We have the power, but who will wield it…?"

* * *

Three thousand metres below, on the White Sea, a small skipper dragged in the water, the hull drooping into the cloud.

It was a small and light ship, and that was the only reason they had managed to survive the knock-up stream. Still, the hull had been damaged and the Devil fruit hunters weren't going anywhere fast. Isaac had been scared that they might have lost their precious cargo of Devil fruits in the explosion, but fortunately all twelve Devil fruits remained safely secured in lockboxes.

A couple of hours later as they floated disorientated through the sea of clouds, the ship was attacked by a raider wielding a spear and some weird weapons, running across the cloud using skates. Berrit and Isaac were both befuddled and suffering from lack of oxygen, so it was possible that the lone raider might have defeated both of them.

But, the unfortunate raider never stood a chance in hell of defeating Marcus.

In a way, the incident was the luckiest thing that could have happened. It gave Marcus a chance to blow off a bit of bloodlust and lower the crazy level down. A few seconds later, the raider was lying in a bloody pool on the deck of the ship, while Marcus started to laugh again.

Isaac had then tried to question their prisoner, but the man stubbornly spat in his face and refused to talk. Marcus had just laughed harder about that.

"Talk?" Marcus chuckled while Isaac wiped down his glasses. "Oh, I'll get you to _sing_."

For the next few hours, the sound of bloodcurdling screaming filled the air as Marcus proceeded to shred the man's body, piece by piece. The sound was so chilling that even Isaac and Berrit needed earplugs. Fortunately, they both had a set at the ready for situations like this.

Eventually, the raider surely enough started to talk, admittedly while coughing up blood. The raider introduced himself as Kamakiri, and then started to explain about Sky Island. The man would have said anything to avoid more pain. Kamakiri told them about Skypiea, about Shandia, about the White Sea and the White-White Sea, about dials and their use, about Angel Island and Upper Yard and about a vengeful God and the precious Vearth. He told them where to find a secret path, known only by the Shandorians, into the White-White, avoiding Heaven's Gate. And he told them about Enel, and the near invincible rule of the God.

Marcus listened patiently until Kamakiri ran out things to say. Then Marcus simply thanked him politely, took all of his dials and weapons, before dropping the raider unceremoniously into the ocean.

Quietly, the three of them sat down in a circle to digest everything they heard. Slowly, Isaac turned to Berrit and asked quietly. "Well? What can you smell?"

The large man closed his eyes and his brow furrowed with concentration. His nose sniffed the air for five long minutes. "Aye," Berrit said finally, not opening his eyes. "I can smell the Sand Sand fruit. It's above us, quite a goddamn distance away, but the scent is strong. Yet there are others too."

That got Isaac's attention. "Other Devil fruits?"

Berrit shook his head. "Nah – other _Logia_ Devil fruits."

A quiet ripple passed over the group. "How many?" Isaac demanded finally.

Berrit sniffed the air again. The large man was pretty good at smelling Zoan fruits, although the animal smells tended to mix together. Paramecia fruits were much more difficult for him and harder to identify. Still, he was exceptionally good at smelling Logia fruits – each Logia was so powerful Berrit could track them miles away.

"Four," Berrit decided finally. "I smell the Sand Sand fruit, obviously. There's also the Plume Plume fruit over in that direction. That's a pretty hard one to track, but I know the scent."

"Hmm… that means Smoker is here," Isaac mused. The Plume Plume fruit was one of the weaker Logia abilities, but it was still way overrated for a lowly Marine captain like Smoker. They had been after the Plume Plume fruit for a while.

"I thought you said I couldn't kill Smoker," Marcus grouched. "You said it would go down too badly with the Marines."

Isaac shrugged. "We're thousands of feet away from the Marines. No transponder snail is going to work from up here. So long as we don't leave witnesses alive, then no one is going to know."

Marcus lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Goody!" He squealed with excitement.

"What are the other fruits?" Isaac pressed.

Berrit's concentrated for a while. "I can't goddamn tell for the third one," he complained. "I've never smelt it before and it doesn't have a distinctive scent."

"Well, what about the fourth?"

"Oh, that's a goddamn good one," a sly smile crossed Berrit's face. "That one stinks of thunder and chaos. It's so goddamn powerful it's hard to smell anything else. I've never had the scent before, but there's only one thing it could be. Boys, we're dealing with the goddamn _Rumble Rumble_ fruit."

Isaac's mouth dropped open. "_Are you sure_?" He gasped.

"Oh yeah."

"But that's one of the _invincible_ _powers_!" Isaac murmured with awe. "That's an _Admiral_-level Devil fruit. The Marines would pay an arm and a leg for _that_!"

Isaac's hands was twitching as he tried to imagine the money. He turned to Marcus urgently. "The Rumble Rumble fruit," he pressed. "Do you think you can handle it?"

Marcus' grinned brightly. "With pleasure."

"Are there any more Devil fruits up here?" Isaac insisted.

Berrit shrugged. "A couple of Zoan. A few more Paramecia. Some interesting scents, but they all just mix together, really."

"Then we have four main targets," Isaac planned eagerly. The excitement was building around him. "Anything else is extra…"

Isaac was practically trembling with joy. Berrit was grinning widely, and Marcus had an insane glint in his eye. "Do you get what this means?" Isaac was practically giggling. "Usually, the hardest part of Devil fruit capture is the reincarnation. There's no way to guarantee where the fruit will end up once the host dies. We have to keep them alive, take them to a deserted island, and then kill them so we can get the fruit straight away."

"But now we're ten thousand goddamn metres in the sky," Berrit continued, realising where Isaac was going. "And there's only one plot of land up here where a Devil fruit could reincarnate to…"

"Yes," Isaac nodded eagerly. "Whatever Devil fruit dies in the sky, stays in the sky."

Marcus looked confused. Isaac turned to him and spelled it out simply. "All the fruits will reappear in this 'Upper Yard', where we can pick them up at our leisure," Isaac explained slowly. "That means that all _you've_ got to is kill everyone we encounter. "

Marcus was silent for a few seconds, but he started to laugh loudly with genuine pleasure.

"Thank you God!" Marcus howled into the sky. "Oh, this is going to fun! This place really _is_ Heaven!"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Special thanks to FlightWulf and Amoknystrom for Beta-ing this!**

**Sky Island has officially begun, and there's lots of people competing in the Survival Game. It's all going to collide.**

**Also, at this point the pirates are have been delayed by about two weeks from the canon timeline. A lot might have changed in those two weeks.**

**Note about Pagaya and the Resistance: I recently re-read the Skypiea arc, and came to the conclusion that Pagaya, Gan Fall and McKinley were working secretly together. The evidence:**

**-Why was Pagaya so welcoming to the strange pirates washed up on the beach? Likewise, he didn't seem particularly surprised when the White Berets appeared. Maybe because he was discreetly trying to recruit new allies against Enel.**

**-Why was Gan Fall just hanging around so closely to rescue Conis from Enel's judgement? Also, Gan Fall's house was a secret hidden from Enel mantra, so why was Gan Fall so willing to take Conis (a betrayer) to his secret location? As well as this, Pagaya just seemed to show up at Gan Fall's hideout, indicating that he already knew where it was.**

**-When things went badly, Pagaya charged into Upper Yard with Conis and Aisa without any particular nervousness or fear. Also, he carried a bazooka. I mean, seriously, what sort of humble dial mechanic just has a bazooka lying around?**

**-McKinley completely betrayed Enel, the guy he'd served for six years, on the word of Conis alone,** **without evidence or hesitation. Why did he trust her so much? Maybe it was because he was already in a conspiracy with her father.**

**-Finally, Pagaya got hit by a direct hit from _Enel,_ the kind that could destroy anything, and then fell _3000 metres_. Afterwards, he apparently just brushed himself off and climbed up again, without injury. He even joked it off when he arrived. At no point did anybody think, 'Wow, this guy might just be a secret badass'.**

**So, in conclusion, there was an alliance going on the background (even though it ultimately didn't come to anything), and Pagaya is one of the most underrated characters in One Piece. I like this theory because it helps flesh out an otherwise uninteresting character, and explains a few of the unlikely events in the Skypiea Arc.**

**Next time: God's game really begins...**


	12. Chapter 12: God's Game

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I'm still only one super-villain scheme away from owning One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Luffy and his crew land in Skypiea. It seems like heaven. It's not.**_

* * *

**Chapter 12: God's Game**

* * *

In the sky, the moon was so bright that the night was a clear was as day. It was enormous, bulbous lantern that highlighted Skypiea. The white light gave the huge forest an ethereal, unworldly sheen while Enel stared down idly from above.

The floating island of Upper Yard stretched out below him. The trees were overgrown and wild, while the woods echoed with the sound of the beasts below. The forest had thrived in the weak atmosphere and bright light of the sky, and grew large across the generations. The animals of Upper Yard had grown equally monstrous, creating an island that was dangerous even to the most weary explorer.

_Still_, Enel mused quietly, _They worshipped this land_. He could feel all of the prayers from Angel Island through his Mantra, and he saw the respect that even his own men had as they walked over the soil. Vearth, they called it. As much as they all feared and respected God Enel, all the residents of the sky had a very tender spot in their heart for Vearth.

"What a disgrace…" Enel muttered under his breath, already starting to walk away. The God was in a foul mood, and had been for weeks now. Around him, his couriers and servants were flitting about frantically. They were eager to tend to his needs, but at the same time they were scared to even get too close to him. Normally, watching their frenzied worship made Enel smirk superiorly. Now, it was just another reminder as to why he was in a bad mood.

God's Shrine rested on an island cloud in the centre of Upper Yard, supported by the humungous beanstalk that burst through the island. The cloud was soft under his bare feet as Enel strolled through his shrine. The buildings were smooth stone with open architecture, covered in drapes and blowing curtains. Musicians sat cross-legged around him; playing soothing, calm beats on harps. There were perhaps two dozen people here, all of them devoted to showering Enel with music, feeding him, bathing him, and worshipping him like the God that he was.

Vaguely, Enel recalled all those years ago when he first conquered Skypiea as God and claimed Upper Yard for himself. He'd been younger then, more naïve, and he hadn't yet accepted his divine grace. At the time, he had laughed and believed that he could live comfortably God Shrine for the rest of his life.

After all, he was God. They fed him fresh fruits and beautiful wine. His followers provided him with beautiful sculptures and testaments to his greatness. There was always a steady supply of nubile young women, eager to prove their devotion, while Enel had been young, lustful and all too eager to accept. He had gouged himself on food and drink, and tasted all of the pleasures that Skypiea had to offer to their divine lord.

_But that had been so long ago_, Enel thought slowly_, I have ascended beyond such mortal pleasures now._

The food and wine bored him, and the women lost their appeal. They were nothing but mortals, after all. They were like insects compared to him. The thought of willing flesh no long enticed him, and the concept of a mortal getting so close to him was vaguely disgusting. Slowly, Enel had become to consider the very act of sex with contempt. It was practically bestiality.

He was God, after all.

Now, the sight of all his servants and devotees, which once brought him pleasure, caused his body to shiver with repulsion. He had nothing against them personally – they were all good servants (Enel had long since filtered out the bad ones). Mind, Enel _despised_ the very concept of them. He hated them for even breathing.

_What right did mortals have to stand so closely to God?_

With a grunt, Enel stretched out over his throne, in the centre of the room. Scantily clad beautiful women tried to tempt him with grapes and wine, but Enel waved them away dismissively. It was becoming harder and harder for him to tolerate the lesser beings in his presence.

The whole shrine was silent as Enel glanced over them with disdain. The musicians didn't dare miss a beat, but even without Mantra Enel could feel the fear flowing off them. And they were right to be scared – Enel could kill them all at a whim.

_I shouldn't still be here_, Enel scowled, _I should have ascended to Fairy Vearth by now_.

Up above in the sky, the moon beckoned.

That had always been the plan. He had conquered Skypiea as a means to an end; a way of constructing the Arc Maxim so he could ascend to his proper place into the stars. He should end all the pathetic beings around him, drop the island to the ground so that the rules of nature could be restored, and then rule from Fairy Vearth as God Supreme. He could maybe tolerate the most competent and devoted of his followers, but everyone else _deserved_ to die by his hand.

That was his _right_.

Yet Enel didn't move. He could have burnt the shrine into ash in a blink of eye, and transformed all the insects into charred bones at any second. Arc Maxim was complete, and had been for a couple of weeks now. He was ready to ascend at any moment, but he still didn't move. He had been hesitating for weeks, and that had put him in a bad mood.

He told himself that there were still loose ends to tie up, but that wasn't true. Any loose ends would vanish when he destroyed Skypiea. He should have left by now.

But in truth, Enel just wanted to _feel_ something again. He wanted to take one last sip of earthly pleasures before he left for good. He wanted his heartbeat to race, and he wanted the adrenaline to flow for the first time in years. Only then would he be satisfied to destroy Skypiea and make the journey to Endless Earth.

Every second that he was unfulfilled left him in a bad mood. His priests were amusing themselves by hunting down, competing and sacrificing heathens for his glory. Enel had no such outlet. Even the act of punishing heretics had become more like a chore than anything else.

_God should not _chore, Enel thought with disgust. Everything belonged to him, so why was he still so miserable.

Around him, his servants stared at the grounds blankly, knees bent, not daring to raise their heads. All those who served Enel for any stretch of time learnt the art of keeping their minds blank, so that no stray thoughts would trigger his Mantra. All of his devotees had blank, absentminded looks across their faces as they did their duties. Somehow, that annoyed Enel even more.

After a few moments, there were footsteps as a man dared to approach. A tall, slender man with a large bushy beard hiding his face, wearing the white acolyte robes and carrying a book under his arm, walked towards Enel slowly and respectfully.

"Your holiness," Gode bowed his head deeply. "How may I be of service?"

Gode was practically Enel's chief of staff. The man had been with Enel since Birka, and had taken it upon himself to organise Enel's other followers in order to ensure he stayed in favour between Enel's fickle mood swings. Gode was a smart man.

Enel scraped the arms of his throne with annoyance. He rested his feet up over the throne and leant back, supporting his chin with his hand lazily. Enel was a man in exceptional physique, with a washboards abs and well-toned muscles. His white blond hair was hidden underneath a white bandanna, while his earlobes had been stretched until they reached his chest, suspending golden earrings.

He used to have wings, but Enel had cut them off years ago and replaced them with four large Tomoe drums to distinguish himself from the angels.

"Who are you to meddle in the affairs of God?" Enel asked quietly, fiddling with the gold bracelets across his wrists.

Gode bowed so deeply that his beard brushed against the ground. "I live to serve, your holiness," he replied calmly, his impassive face not revealing a hint of fear. Through Mantra, Enel could feel that his mind was calm too, but there was anxiety around the edges.

"You live by my tolerance, only," Enel threatened silently. Around him, sparks crackled across the air. It was a testament to Gode's self-control that he didn't flinch. "Leave my sight."

The servant bowed quickly, before nearly running away without another sight. His devotees were used to Enel's childish boredom and entitlement, but his new foulness put them all on edge.

Enel scoffed slightly as he watched his servant run from him. He _really_ wanted to kill them all and be done with it. Fairy Vearth was singing to him, and Enel longed to answer.

Lazily, Enel closed his eyes and slouched further in his chair. Enel focused his mind, and suddenly his mind was flying through air across Skypiea. He was looking down upon everything, feeling the 'voices' of people's minds, while his Mantra extended his presence upon waves of electricity.

Enel could feel the petty lives from the angels on Angel Island. He stared down at them like a schoolchild watching bugs crawling across the ground, longing to burn them away.

He could feel his priests and servants in Upper Yard, fulfilling their duties. He was mildly satisfied to feel that his priests had nothing but undying worship to him, yet the other Enforcers were dubious loyalty at best. Still, Enel didn't care enough about them.

He could feel the minds of the animals of the forest; slow, dumb and primal. As far as Enel was concerned, the humans weren't much better.

If he really stretched himself, he could feel the edges of the minds of Shandorian raiders, wondering about on the cloud. Unfortunately, they were too far away for Enel to get a fix of their location.

Enel yawned as he stretched his mind out further, lazily washing over the White White Sea until he began to feel sleepy. He was God, and this was his domain…

Suddenly, Enel opened his eyes and shot awake. He could feel new presences entering the White White Sea through Heaven's Gate, and he recognised the determination from their aura. There were hundreds of new minds, and it was the biggest group of intruders to Skypiea in recent memory.

Slowly, a large grin spread across Enel's face.

It was time to have some fun.

* * *

Two dark shadows lay on the ground, carefully hiding their shadows on the wasteland of cloud. The morning sun was only just rising in the distance, casting nearly horizontal shadows across the white, bumpy surface. Slowly, the two men crept forward, lying flat on the fluffy island cloud, until in the distance the shapes of Shandorian village came into view.

Both men wore white, loose-fitting robes, with strange pendants organs dangling across their ears and short horns protruding from their foreheads. A golden ring hung from a purple sash across their necks, and they wore grey gloves with an Axe Dial embedded into the palm. They were God's Enforcers, two of the most elite military in Skypiea. Normally, the sight of them sent Skypiean angels running with fear, but, this time, they were the hesitant ones.

The cloud wasteland was a barren and dangerous place. The Island and Sea Cloud practically meshed together, resulting in a surface that was treacherous and unstable. Dial powered Jet Skis or Jet Boards were needed to cross the wasteland, and even then there were dangerous predators hunting beneath the White White Sea. Yet, by far, it was the Shandorians that were the biggest threat out here. God's domain ended at Upper Yard – this was the raider's territory.

In the distance, across the mounds and dips of the clouds, the sight of several cloth tipis stuck up into the sky, all colourfully decorated with patterns and animal hides. There was a small, smokeless fire burning in the centre of the village, and small figures flitted around it. Half a dozen wooden totem poles were stuck into the ground, carrying torches. The largest structure was a stone stature standing in front of one of the tents; a carving of a historical warrior with wild hair and a fierce expression staring towards Upper Yard.

The Shandia were nothing if not stubborn and adaptable. Enel would have destroyed them if he knew where they were, so instead the tribe had taken to roaming around the White White Sea, carrying their belongings on Jet Wavers as they travelled constantly and randomly. They only stayed stationary for a week at the most, and always out of the range of Enel's Mantra. The tribe had been drifting aimlessly for six years, always on the run.

The Shandorians couldn't farm and there wasn't enough hunting on the cloud wasteland to sustain them. Instead, they had done the only thing they were capable of; they became raiders. They raided Angel Beach, Upper Yard, and even the ships on the White Sea. The Shandia had declared war on the world, and hunted everything that wasn't them. Enel had pushed the tribe to the very edge, yet their warriors had refused to fall over. Shandia fought tooth and nail against anyone who wasn't them.

The two Enforcers were nervous even as they as they watched from half a mile away. They'd practically drained their Jet Ski Waver in coming this far, but they'd found their target.

After a couple of minutes watching, one of them finally spoke up, "This is far enough," he whispered quietly, bleating out the words. "We need to get back."

"Agreed," his companion bleated quickly. "God will reward us if we bring back their location."

With delicate care, they slowly started to turn around on the ground and started scuttling away. "God with smite the heathens into nothing," the Enforcer whispered. "And we will be the ones to –"

His voice turned quiet as a dark shadow fell over them, blocking out the sun. The two men could only gulp as they a figure dropped from the sky with Jet Skates. He was tall, muscular and bare-chested, covered in tribal tattoos with a Mohawk that followed into a segmented braid.

The raider glanced downwards at the two intruders with open disdain. "I didn't hear that…" The Shandorian warrior muttered darkly, his eyes glowing with fury as he took a deep breath of a small cigarillo. "… _what_ exactly will you be the ones to do?"

There was no hesitation. In an instant, the Enforcers activating their Jet Wavers and were flying upwards into the sky with a hiss of air bursting from the Breath Dials. They twirled expertly in mid-air, before spinning their feet towards the sky and shooting downwards at the raider. The Enforcers thrust their gloved palms forward, and the air swirled as the Axe Dials lashed out with a near invisible blast of air, faster and more furious than the eye could follow.

The Shandorian waited until the very last second before even reacting. He never had a weapon, or even a shield, but he stood completely calm as the Enforcers barrelled downwards towards him. Then, just as the raider felt the brush of the Axe Dials against his skin, he blurred with speed.

A second later, the raider was thrusting his Jet Skates upwards and slamming his feet roughly into Enforcers' chins. Before they could even react, he wrapped his hands around each of their palms and started to squeeze.

"Answer me!" The raider bellowed with berserk fury. "What exactly are you going to do?!"

There was a sickening crunch as every bone in the Enforcers' hands started to crack. There were furious slashes of air, drawing blood across the raider's body as the Axe Dials went haywire, but the man didn't seem to care. The Enforcers started to scream as their hands were crushed into pieces.

"You think Enel is a God?" The raider demanded. The Enforcers were too busy screaming in agony to answer. There was a crunch as the shells of the Axe Dials split and shattered. The slashes across the raider's body stopped. "Does that mean if I kill you, your souls will go to see him? Do you think you could pass on a message?"

In his iron-hard grip, their hands felt sickeningly limp. Still, he didn't stop tightening his grip until their arms were almost ripped out of their sockets. The raider's eyes were glowing with undiluted fury.

"Hmm?" He growled. "How about we go find out?"

With a snap, the raider yanked both men towards him, and then gripped their necks with both hands. Between the momentum and force, their necks snapped like a wooden splint. Both parties fell limply to the cloud.

Everything fell quiet. The raider glared downwards at their dead corpses, but the rage never stopped. His heart was pounding with pure indignation and fury.

"Damn you Enel…" He snarled wrathfully, staring up to the outline of the giant beanstalk in the distance. "You _dare_ to come so close to my village…?"

Finally, the man reached a decision. He drew a small carving knife from his belt, and then crouched over the Enforcer's corpses. "Let's sent a message…" The raider muttered under his breath, raising his knife to their necks.

The flesh and bone was hard, but it was no more difficult than cutting a rough piece of meat. Within seconds, the raider's knife was carving through the beefy necks, all the while the blood oozed madly. The white cloud was stained red, and then the raider was lifting up two severed heads by the floppy ears and swinging them by his side as he stomped away.

_I will dump the bodies in the middle of Lovely Street_, the raider thought hatefully, _with the words 'OUR LAND' carved into their chests_.

_As for the heads, I'll return them to Enel personally. And then I'll take _his.

As the raider returned to his village, there was a flurry of activity rushing to greet him. At the front of the crowd, a small girl in a fur dress and cap rushed over to him.

"Wiper!" The girl shouted happily. "Did you find the spies alright?"

"Oh yes, Aisa," Wiper replied in a sullen voice, holding up the two severed heads. "They were exactly where you said they'd be."

Instantly, Aisa's eyes widened in shock as she saw the bloody heads, and he face turned sickly. The girl dropped to her knees and collapsed to vomit next to a tipi. Around her, murmurs of shock spread through the tribe. A black-haired woman with two bangs and a tight purple tunic charged furiously at Wiper.

"What do you think you're doing?" Laki exclaimed angrily, motioning at the heads with shock. Around her, many of the villagers looked sick at the sight. The Shandia warriors were made of stronger stuff, and mostly just stared quietly.

"Making a statement!" Wiper snapped angrily, shoving the woman out of the way. "It's time they learnt the consequences of crossing us!"

"In front of _Aisa_?"Laki demanded, pointing at the vomiting girl. Tears were running down Aisa's face. The severed heads had a sunken, haunted look to them as they dangling revoltingly from Wiper's bloody hands. "She's an twelve year old girl!"

"She's a warrior!" Wiper replied without hesitation. "She better toughen up quickly because they'll be a hell of a lot more severed heads before we retake our homeland!"

Laki gulped. The sight of the pure bloodthirsty rage in Wiper's eyes was frightening. The crowd parted to let her pass.

Laki was tall, young and extremely well-endowed. She was the beauty of the village. Her cleavage was nearly bursting out of her tunic, and her legs were strong, lean and long, but she was a good enough warrior to make any man think twice before acting inappropriately. Laki stood among the tribe's top five warriors, and had enough admiring glances that most of the tribe treat her like royalty.

But Wiper was the only man that never cared. He never even seemed to notice Laki's beauty or sexiness. He treated her in the exact same way he treated Braham or Genbo, and Laki couldn't help feel slightly irritated by that. Wiper's whole life was obsessed with the war against Enel, and there was no space for anything else.

'Berserker' Wiper. _He well and truly deserved his name_, Laki thought quietly.

Out of the centre tipi, an old man with a grey beard and moustache and a wrinkled face stared at Wiper with a deep scowl. The Shandia Chief wore a long, heavy robe and a wolf's head as cowl, decorated with red feathers, and carried a heavy staff. Despite his age, he still stood up straight and walked with confidence as he approached Wiper.

"What are you doing, Wiper?" The chief asked with concern, staring at the decapitated heads. Around them, a small crowd was gathering. "We do not behead our opponents. We are not _savages_."

Wiper's voice was venomous. "They forced us out of our home and into this wasteland! Still they hunt us! They would slay us without hesitation!_ I_ am fighting a war to reclaim what is ours and _you_ defend them?"

The chief's eyes widened in shock. "This is barbaric!"

"Good!" Wiper snapped. "They are barbarians!"

Quiet dropped over the village. For all Wiper's fury, he had never spoken back to the chief in this way before. He had always been respectful to the old man's leadership. All respect was gone now, and everyone was staring at the conflict that raging in the village.

_It's because of Kamakiri_, Laki realised. Kamakiri was one of Wiper's most trusted lieutenants, and perhaps the closed thing that Wiper had to a friend. Then Kamakiri went raiding in the White Sea and never returned. Wiper had been getting more and more stressed ever since.

It couldn't have come at a worse time. Two weeks ago, it had been the four hundredth anniversary of the day that they'd been forced out of the homeland. Most of the tribe never even noticed the day, but Wiper had. The berserker had been practically pacing around the village, raiding right up to the edge of Upper Yard, eager for an excuse to finally launch a full-scale assault. Yet no excuse came, and Wiper just became more and more frustrated.

_He felt like he had failed his ancestors_, Laki thought with sudden dread, _and now his best friend was probably dead_. Wiper was at his breaking point, and she really hoped that the chief didn't push him over.

It was a long time before the chief spoke again. "Return the heads to the bodies," the chief ordered quietly. There was pure steel in his voice. "Bury the corpses, and then pray to the ancestors for forgiveness."

Wiper's eyes burned in outrage. "Burial?" He choked. "They don't deserve burial, and they sure as well don't deserve my prayers!"

"Your chief has spoken!" The old man ordered angrily.

"YOU ARE NOT MY CHIEF!" Wiper bellowed with fury. The statement rang in the air. No one else in the village dared to even to breath. "YOU ARE WEAK, OLD MAN!"

The old man was practically trembling with outrage. He brushed his robe away, revealing the sword resting at his hip. For as old as the chief was, he was still a warrior of Shandia. "How dare you?"

"No," Wiper snarled. "How dare _you_? How dare you hold us back from retaking our homeland! You refuse to allow us to attack Upper Yard! You would have even made peace with the ex-God!"

"Gan Fall is not our enemy!"

"THEY ARE _ALL_ OUR ENEMIES!"

Laki could feel her heart racing in her chest, but she didn't dare speak. The mood in the village was so tense it could explode at any second. This was a direct challenge to the chief's authority, and Wiper was in no mood to back down. This was about to go very, very badly…

After a few seconds, Braham spoke up. The large man had his eyes almost completely hidden by a hat, and his voice was firm. His hands were on the pistols on his belt. "Wiper for chief."

The simple statement sent ripples through the tribe. A few seconds later, Gendo stepped forward, and the fat warrior echoed the call, clutching his heavy cannon tightly.

The villagers looked shocked and scared at the prospect, but Wiper had the undying support of the Shandia warriors, and they held the real influence in the tribe. Shortly, the chant in support of Wiper was echoing through the cloud wasteland. The villagers were too scared to oppose them. Laki was the only warrior that didn't speak up. Her fingers felt numb.

Wiper locked eyes with the chief determinedly. A flicker of nervousness passed through the old man's face as he faced down with the young raider. His hand clutched his sword tightly, but he didn't pull it out. Wiper was completely unarmed, without even his trademark bazooka, but still the berserker didn't look even mildly concerned. A challenge had been made. The chief could either fight to defend his position, or submit.

After what seemed like an eternity, the chief let go of his sword. The chief's staff dropped to the ground. His eyes relented. "No," he muttered so quietly it was barely audible. "I submit."

The old chief was no fool. The old man knew that he never stood a chance against Wiper. Wiper was Calgara's heir, and most certainly deserved that title.

The old man seemed to age twenty years as he scuttled away, letting his cowl drop to the ground. Wiper watched him go quietly, before bending over and picking up the staff, raising it over his head.

"Chief Wiper!" The victorious chanted vibrated through the village, and the warriors slammed their weapons on to the ground. The villagers looked scared, but the warriors were too stroked up to care. Braham and Gendo shouted louder than the rest.

Wiper looked like he was ready to explode. He was panting heavily, and his body was trembling as he raised the staff above his head. "Today!" Wiper proclaimed loudly. "We attack Upper Yard! We force the invaders out! We take the head of Enel!"

There were cheers of celebration. "Prepare every weapon and every fighting man!" Wiper promised loudly. "Today it _ends_!"

"_Today, we ignite the light of Shandora_!"

A few hours later, the village was still in frenzy. The news travelled like wildfire; Wiper was declaring an all-out war against Enel. This was not a raiding party anymore; Wiper had started an inferno. The village was heaving with raiders readying themselves for war.

Laki sat by Aisa's side, trying to calm the little girl who was still trembling. "Their 'voices' are so loud," Aisa muttered weakly. "How many of them are going to return?"

"It's going to be alright," Laki reassured her weakly, but she didn't believe it. The old chief had allowed Wiper to lead attacks against Enel, but had always kept enough warriors in reserve to protect the village and keep the future of Shandia safe. Wiper was risking everything on a full scale assault.

Aisa's eyes were wide. The little girl had always suffered due to her ability, and it hurt Laki to see her so vulnerable. After a few minutes, Laki stood up and charged towards Wiper's tent. The newly elected Shandorian chief had refused to take the traditional chief's tipi, but instead locked himself in his old one and hadn't been seen since.

Laki was one of the few people brave enough to charge into Wiper's tent when he wanted to be alone. As Laki pushed through the curtain, she was a bit surprised to find Wiper sitting cross-legged on a stool, staring at his bazooka intently.

"What do you want?" Wiper asked irritably, not even glancing upwards.

"I want to know what you're doing," Laki demanded, hands on her hip. "_Chief_."

Wiper glanced up at her with irritation. "I'm going to honour my ancestors, reclaim our homeland, finish a war," he bit down tightly on his cigarillo. "… and kill a _God_."

"You're going to get a lot of people killed."

"That's kind of the point," Wiper retorted, stroking the barrel of his bazooka.

"You're going to get a lot _Shandorians_ killed," Laki clarified, her face twisting with annoyance. "We've attacked Upper Yard before, it's never gone well before."

"This time is different."

"How?" She demanded.

"Because of _me_," Wiper grunted, his voice unwavering. "Because we won't gave up until we win, and because _I_ won't give up until we win."

Laki stared. "Is this about Kamakiri?" She said finally.

Wiper's eyes narrowed. "Kamakiri's dead." He said simply. Laki opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "You know he's dead. If he was still alive, he would have returned by now. I don't know who killed him or why, but he's dead."

"So this is revenge then?" Laki demanded, her voice becoming quiet.

"No," Wiper snarled. "This is about justice. Kamakiri and all the others lived and died without ever even stepping foot in Shandora. This about ensuring that no other Shandorian ever dies outside of our homeland. I _will_ kill the bastards that murdered Kamakiri, but first I'm going to ensure the future of my people."

His voice was so determined that Laki felt chills running down her spine. She remembered those stories of the past that they were told as children; of the great and glorious Shandora nation and their ancestors. Wiper never just listened to those stories, he _lived_ by them. Wiper was a man that existed solely for the cause.

"I really hope you know what you're doing," Laki muttered quietly.

Wiper didn't respond straight away. Laki nodded quietly and turned to leave. Before she reached the door, Wiper spoke up. "Prepare Aisa, I want her to come with us," he ordered finally.

Laki stiffened. "She's a child!"

"We could use her ability," Wiper growled. "They have Mantra, we need to use it too. I want you to stick by her side at all times, keep her safe."

"It's too dangerous."

"She's a warrior of Shandora. It's time she fights." Wiper ordered in a voice that left no room for discussion. "And you'll be there to protect her."

She relented. "Fine," Laki snarled, turning to stomp away.

"Also…" Wiper seemed to hesitate, his voice becoming softer. "Go see the old chief. I don't want anything to happen to him."

Laki paused and faced him again. He refused to meet her eyes. He kept on staring at his bazooka intently. The chief's staff lay on the other side of the tent. "You're not using it?" She asked quietly, motioning to the staff.

Wiper shrugged. "It's not my style," he muttered. He gave one last look at his Burn Bazooka, polished to perfection, before he dropped it dismissively onto the ground. "I want to show you something," he said, standing up slowly.

Wiper walked across the room and headed straight to a heavy chest. He unlocked with great care, before lifting out a large object with a grunt of effort. Laki gasped with shock.

"What is _that_?" She muttered breathlessly.

"Do you remember that Reject Dial I found a few weeks ago?" Wiper explaining, heaving the weapon over his shoulder. "I figured I could do a lot more with that Dial than just use it my hand."

Wiper had always had a talent with heavy weaponry and dials. Wiper had built Gendo's heavy cannon, and Wiper's Burn Bazooka was commonly considered a work of art. Still, this was something else entirely.

It was a bazooka only because no one had yet to invent a word for something greater. The weapon was almost six feet long, and so heavy that even Wiper's monstrous strength could barely lift it. It was a beast of polished black steel, covered in black spikes and an ammunition cartridge that hung behind Wiper's head. It was so brutishly large and powerful that it seemed to dwarf Wiper's body, and Laki could see hundreds of Dials covering every surface.

"It's made out fifty Impact Dials, seventy-five Breath Dials, and thirty Flame Dials," Wiper explained. "I've even worked in some Flash Dials, Axe Dials, a couple of Jet Dials, and one Reject Dial in the centre. It weighs 450 kilograms, and I've stored so much power into it could destroy a small island."

Laki blinked, still staring dumbly at the enormous weapon. She had never seen so many Dials before in a single device – it wasn't a weapon, it was a large explosion waiting to happen. Dials were a precious commodity in the sky, and with a jolt Laki realised that Wiper must have taken all of those Dials from men he killed.

"And this…" Wiper continued with a smirk, lifting out another object. It was a large cannonball, coated in a blue sheen. "… this is a Seastone cannon ball. _This_ is what makes this the weapon that's going to kill Enel."

Wiper was staring at his bazooka with a strangely gleeful smile. "I call it the _God-Slayer_."

* * *

_My father is a coward_.

That was the only thing that Conis could think as she paced around the empty sitting room. In the guest bedrooms, the pirates were still asleep as the morning sun flitted through wafting blinds.

She had known it for a long time. Conis never liked to think about it, but deep down she knew that Pagaya was nothing but a coward. Her father would open their doors to any stranger, too scared to deny any request, even though he knew fine well what God required of them.

It was the duty of all Skypieans to serve God Enel. It was their duty to turn over all intruders over to God for judgement. That was what Conis had been taught her entire life; anyone who didn't worship Enel was deserved Judgement. Anyone who betrayed God's commandments or opposed his rule deserved death.

Conis didn't like it. She knew that a lot of people never liked it. Skypieans were naturally kind and compassionate, but they were scared. No one dared to say it aloud, and people were hesitant to even think it to themselves, but it was the law.

Yet still, her father kept on inviting the intruders into their home, forcing Conis to smile and go along with it. And sooner or later, the White Berets would turn up and demand punishment. The intruders would refuse, and then Judgement would be required. After that, Conis would be forced to betray her guests and deliver them to Judgement, or else she risk Judgement on herself and everyone around her.

All the while, Pagaya would just quietly watch his daughter leading them to their deaths. He never talked about it, or took the responsibility himself, but he just watched her walk away. Later, Conis would be forced to live with the guilt that she had effectively killed those people herself. She would cry herself to sleep for weeks afterwards.

_My father is coward_, Conis thought bitterly, _for what other reason could he have forced that duty onto me_?

It had been happening more and more often now. Twice a month a new ship of criminals would wash up on their shore. Her 'duty' had devoured her. She would spent her time sitting on the beach, playing her harp, all the while wondering when she would be forced to kill the next group. There were must be dozen of corpses in Upper Yard that Conis had sent there.

Conis was a kind person. She wanted to warn them and she longed to scream at them to run away. The thought that she was responsible for their deaths _haunted_ her.

The angel slowly looked at the sleeping bodies of her 'guests' through the open doorways, trying to blink back tears and stop her hand from trembling. At her feet, Su rubbed affectionately against her ankles. These pirates had been staying with them for two days now – much longer than anyone had ever done before. Normally the White Berets arrived by now.

They were all nice people. That's what made it even worse. It might have been easy if they were bad people. Conis tried to hide behind a polite smile, but she couldn't help but enjoy their company. She had spent the whole night wide awake, thinking constantly about what had to be done.

Despite her better knowledge, Conis was actually beginning to like the pirates. She might begin to truly care for them. If this went on for much longer, then her resolution might break. She might do something stupid, and then she might bring God's wrath down on them all. Something had to be done.

_My father is coward_, Conis thought miserably, _so I'm the one who has to do it_.

As the sun started to rise higher, the pirates began to wake up. Robin was the first one awake, getting up early so that no one noticed which room she stepped out of. The dark-haired beauty smiled pleasantly at Conis as she passed, and Conis forced a smile in return.

Shortly afterwards, the house became noisy as the others woke up. Zoro and Sanji started arguing as soon as they saw each other at the door, and instantly broke down in a petty quarrel about who had the worst night's sleep. Chopper was already squealing as Su chased him around the house, while Usopp and Carue ran after them to join in. No one but Conis noticed that Usopp was wearing the same clothes as he had last night.

Vivi and Nami woke up around the same time. Nami went to yell at Sanji and Zoro for being so loud, while Vivi dashed after Carue. The two girls were acting strangely wooden towards each other, Conis noted to herself.

Luffy was the last to wake. He yawned happily and grinned brightly as stepped out of his room. "That was a great nap!" He exclaimed cheerfully, turning to Conis. "This is a great house!"

Conis felt weirdly numb as she smiled back and muttered something in return. She was trying desperately to stop her hands from trembling. Luffy was already walking away, until Chopper crashed into him and begged the captain to save him from the 'vicious fox'. Sanji and Zoro were still arguing loudly over nothing in particular, but it was all good natured.

"Seriously, thank you so much for letting us stay," Nami said with appreciation, casting a disapproving look at the mess the men were making. "I promise that I'll make Usopp clean it all up before we leave."

"Hey!" Usopp shouted back before Conis. "Why me?"

"Isn't that your job?"

"No! I'm a sniper, not a cleaner!" Usopp shouted with outrage. Luffy was already giggling at him. "If you're so thankful, then why don't you pay her?"

"Don't suggest such silly things!" Nami snapped angrily, blushing slightly as she gripped her wallet. Sanji spun around between them, somehow managing to serenade Nami while yelling at Usopp at the same time. Meanwhile, Chopper had run to Robin as the cloud fox chased him playfully, and suddenly a dozen hands bloomed from the ground and started to tickle both Chopper and Su into submission.

Conis watched quietly, and felt the knot in her stomach tighten.

"Good morning, everyone," Conis heard the words come out of her mouth, but they felt strangely distant. "I've prepared breakfast for everyone. Please sit down."

"Ah!" Sanji sighed, bowing deeply as he approached Conis. "Your beauty and kindness burns a hole in my heart! Allow me to be the–"

With an exasperated sigh, Nami grabbed Sanji's ear and pulled the chef away. "Thank you so very much," Nami smiled, before turning around at the rest of the crew and screaming viciously. "Oi! Show some respect! We're in civilised company, jerks!"

If anything, the chaos grew louder. Conis stared with shock for a few minutes, before Vivi gently took her by the arm and pulled her away. "Don't worry," the princess offered quietly. "I'll help you with breakfast."

It was nearly fifteen minutes before the pirates calmed down, mostly due to of the delicious smell wafting from the kitchen. Luffy, Chopper, Usopp and even Carue were all slavering around the sitting room table like hungry puppies while Conis and Vivi carried in large plates of gently steaming Skypiean cuisine. Luffy was drooling with wide eyes as he watched the plates as if hypnotised, causing Robin to giggle quietly.

The meal looked delicious. It was a selection of fresh fish doused in creamy sauce, alongside fluffy bread and cut fruits. There was pumpkin soup, and a selection of pastries. Sanji looked amazed.

"You really are an angel…" Sanji muttered dreamily.

Usopp was the first to dart for a plate as Conis placed the meal on the table, but Sanji nearly stabbed his fork into his hand. The utensil slammed into the table and Usopp recoiled his limb in shock.

"Manners!" Sanji growled in a tone of voice that made everyone else pause. "Conis just cooked an incredible meal for us. You _will_ give her the respect she deserves."

Conis had to drop the platter onto the table to stop her hands from trembling. Sanji stared over the pirates like an angry watchman, making sure that they behaved themselves. One by one, they all took a plate respectfully and waited until Conis sat down before touching it. The smell of delicious cloud fish was agonising.

Eventually, Conis dropped into her seat and gave a nervous smile. Sanji nodded, satisfied, and there was a battle of first-come-first-served as half the dishes seemed to instantly vanish into hungry mouths.

"So good!" Luffy sighed in pleasure through a mouthful of food. Sanji shot him a dark glance, and Luffy quickly swallowed the whole mouthful in a single guilty gulp.

The chef was quickly eating cutting through the fish as well, but he paused with every forkful, analysing the meal like an artist critiquing a masterpiece. "This is divine…" Sanji exhaled. "So many flavours! It tastes like cinnamon… garlic… and… hmm…"

His voice trailed off as highly sensitive taste buds analysed the fish. Next to Conis, Robin was politely cutting through the fish, but still taking large forkfuls. The archaeologist paused after the fourth forkful, suddenly looking worried. Luffy had already gulped this portion down, and everyone else was nearly halfway through.

Conis couldn't even meet their eyes. She had to hide her trembling hands under the table. She wasn't eating.

It was Sanji who realised first. As soon as he recognised the strange taste, his eyes widened in shock and he stared at Conis with utter disbelief. "Wait a second…" The chef murmured, his fork dropping from his hand. "Did you _poison_ this…?"

The room went dead. Usopp's mouth plunged open and a lump of half eaten fish fell out. The tears were pouring from Conis' eyes and her hand shuddered more furiously than ever. Her heart constricted so tightly it felt like she was about to collapse.

"I'm so sorry…" Conis gasped, barely able to breathe. "I didn't have a choice…"

No one even had time to move before suddenly heavy objects burst through windows in a shower glass. Chairs crashed to the floor as the pirates stood upwards in shock, but within seconds there was a cloud of thick smoke filling the room.

The Flavour Dials scattered across the room, hissing as the sleeping gas streamed out of them. Only Conis recognised the Dials enough to hold her breath. For everyone else, between the tranquiliser in the fish and the sleeping gas, it was enough to knock everyone out. Sanji was still staring at Conis with disbelief as he collapsed onto the table, spilling the food onto the floor. The other bodies fell seconds later.

Strangely, it was Usopp that managed to stay awake the longest. The sniper stared at Conis with wide eyes while heavy footsteps charged in from outside the house. Conis was still crying heavily, her hands tightly over her mouth.

"Look after the Merry," Usopp begged Conis with a strained voice, just as the men burst through the door. "You've got to–"

Suddenly, the first of the Enforcers slammed his hand over Usopp's head. The marksman collapsed limply to the ground. Within seconds, the room was filled with men in white robes with short horns, all wearing gas masks over their mouths. Still, the sleeping gas was quickly drifting away through the open doors and windows.

Conis felt completely numb as she watched the Enforcers drag the pirates' unconscious bodies away. Slowly, an incredibly fat man appeared in the doorway, staring through the house critically. He was so obese he was almost round, too large to fit through the door, and his face was sunken into layers of fat. He wore a white toga with an orange sash, depicting his rank, and he stared at Vivi with beady, suspicious eyes.

Finally, the fat man spoke. "God thanks you for your loyalty," Commander Yama said simply, already turning away from the shell-shocked girl. His Enforcers had lifted the pirates over their backs and were carrying the unconscious bodies away. They even dragged the heavy body of Carue. "It has been _noted_."

In less than a minute, the Enforcers were already leaving, taking their new prisoners. Conis' living room was wrecked and messy. Still, she didn't even mouth. She barely even breathed.

"Confiscate their ship!" Yama ordered loudly from outside. "We shall make it a gift for God!"

As quickly as they arrived, the Enforcers vanished from Angel Island. Conis stood motionlessly in the wrecked room for a long time, before finally her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor. The sound of her wailing tears could be heard throughout Angel Island, but all of her neighbours closed their windows and pretended not to hear.

Her father arrived a few hours later, back from whatever errand he had to run this time. Pagaya saw that the pirate ship was missing as he landed his Waver on the beach, and then walked solemnly up the stairs back to his house.

He stepped the broken door quietly, and looked at his ruined living room without a word. Conis was still sitting cross-legged on the floor; her eyes were red but she wasn't crying anymore.

A few seconds passed slowly. Finally, Pagaya spoke. For once, he didn't apologise. "What happened?" He asked in an impassive voice. "What did you do?"

"I did what I _had_ to do," Conis muttered, refusing to even look at him.

A look of disapproval flashed across Pagaya's normally unreadable face. Still, he never said a word as he slowly walked past her and picked up a broom.

_My father is a coward_, Conis thought darkly.

* * *

Everything was dark and gloomy, but it was the roar of rushing water than that finally woke Sanji up. The chef blinked dizzily, trying to shake of the effects of the sleeping gas, just in time to see Usopp sitting across from him and waking up as well. Sanji could feel the air rushing by them.

There was a frantic quacking next to him. Sanji turned to sea Carue desperately flapping at them to wake up.

"Usopp?" Sanji murmured sleepily. "Carue? Where's Nami, Vivi and–"

There was a sudden crash that nearly caused them to capsize. Instantly, Carue was in Sanji's arms, the large duck desperately wrapped its wings around Sanji for support. They were on a small boat, being dragged by a fast current. Sanji was instantly awake, glancing to side to side. They were in a tunnel, but drifting through quickly. The boat was barely larger than a coffin, with no sail, and it was crashing roughly against the stone walls.

Sanji shoved Carue away into a pile of feathers and frightened squawking. Usopp was sitting up too.

"What's happening?" Usopp screamed loudly, the panic driving away any remaining tiredness. "Where are we? Where's everyone else? Where's the Merry?"

Sanji never had time to respond. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and it was quickly approaching. The chef's eyes widened in shock. "Hold on to something!" He ordered.

Usopp was already clinging tightly on to the boat. A second later, the sunlight was blinding them. "You don't think that we're going to fa –"

The screams erupted from their throats as suddenly the ship was tumbling straight downwards over the waterfall. They were so high up that the scenery blurred, and they couldn't even make out any details as they crashed downwards. It was hard to see anything when your eyes were popping out of your skull.

By the time the ship crashed into a pool of Sea Cloud, Carue and Usopp were both holding each other for comfort. Sanji felt the small boat threaten to crack, but there was already another current carrying their small boat along a milky trail of cloud.

A huge forest swallowed them. The trees were ancient and overgrown, and large bubbles of Island Cloud floated across the air.

"That's actual soil!" Sanji realised dumbly, trying to get to grip with his surroundings. "What's with this forest? And where are the girls…?"

Usopp was so scared that his teeth were clattering. Carue and Usopp were both trying to hide behind each other, but ended up just running in circles.

Slowly, a childish laugh echoed through the trees. "Welcome to my Ordeal of Balls. Ho, ho, hoooo! I am Satori of the Forest! You are facing God's Judgement!"

"Oi!" Sanji shouted angrily. A fat man with a bowling hat and large glasses appeared in the trees, dancing idly on the balls of floating cloud. "Where are the others? And more importantly, where are the women?"

"Oh they're facing the other Ordeals," Satori replied in a sing-song voice, still dancing by himself. "You should worry about yourselves! After all, if you can't beat me, you can't move forward!"

The fat man was laughing as he twirled to himself. His arms and legs were so short he looked like a ball. "Let me explain the rules!" He laughed. "The eight of you are being judged in pairs! We will only allow the final two to leave here alive!"

The priest's voice was practically gleeful. "If you want to survive, you've just got to last longer than the other six!"

"You bastard…!" Sanji growled. Usopp was still trembling with fear, but at least he was loading his slingshot. Carue was still running around in circles. Without warning, Sanji leapt out of the boat and span through the air, raising his leg in a vicious twirl that caused the air to hum.

"Ho ho!" Satori giggled lazily. "Rising right kick…"

Sanji's leg swished through nothing but air as Satori drifted out the way. Before Sanji could even react, the priest was thrusting his hand towards his hand towards Sanji's face. The air exploded, and suddenly the chef was sent flying backwards with a large explosion.

"I am one of the Almighty God Enel's priests!" Satori grinned widely. "Welcome to the forbidden holy land, Upper Yard. In the Lost Forest, the chance of survival is ten percent!"

He laughed twirling around and kicking a floating cloud towards the boat. Usopp and Carue dived out the way, just as the cloud exploded in a burst of flames. The ship kept on drifting away on the Milky Road. "This is the forest of illusion and surprise! It's the Ordeal of Balls!"

Sanji brushed off the dirt from his body, and slowly lit a cigarette. "I get it," the chef muttered, taking a deep breath before proclaiming loudly. "Nami, Vivi and Robin are waiting for me. This makes this an Ordeal of _Love_!"

There were a few seconds silence, followed by a dull thud as Usopp face-palmed.

* * *

The forest was dark and covered in smog. The ground was muddy and threatened to swallow them, while a dense fog hid everything from view. Thick vines hung from creepy tries, while the twisting roots covered the ground. In the darkness, there was the movement of creatures prowling the night, but the only sound was Chopper's teeth rattling heavily.

Next to him, Zoro lay over the ground. The swordsman was completely unresponsive as the reindeer shook him desperately. "ZORO!" Chopper squealed in a high pitched voice. "Wake up! Wake up! It's dark and swampy and there are weird things out there and I don't know what happened or where we are or where everyone's gone and I'm really –"

"Enough," Zoro groaned, pulling himself back to consciousness sleepily. Chopper sighed in relief. Zoro blinked twice before asking slowly. "Where are we?"

Chopper exploded. "Weren't you listening?! We're lost! Lost! And everyone's gone and I'm really, really –"

"Ok, I get it," Zoro grumbled irritably, pulling himself up. "If you're a pirate, then act like it! Never show fear or doubt!"

He said it with such confidence that Chopper's eyes glowed with admiration. _Zoro's so cool_, Chopper thought with relief; _thank god I'm with him. If I just follow Zoro then nothing bad could ever happen to me…_

There were footsteps from in the gloom. A tall figure appeared on a nearby branch, staring down on the pair imposingly. Chopper squealed and hugged Zoro's leg, but the swordsman just glared. "So you're awake," the figure murmured in a dark and threatening voice. In the gloom, a bulging pair of eyes looked down on them. "It's time for the Ordeal of Swamp to begin."

Zoro's hand was on his blades. "Who are you?" He demanded coldly.

"I am Sky Boss Gedatsu," the voice drawled, revealing a tall man with dark skin, a purple suit, and a rasta-styled dreadlocks. "You are guilty of being unfaithful to God's ruling, and this is your trial. You are in the Bogs of Despair, with a survival rate of fifty percent."

"Fifty percent?" Zoro grinned evilly, unsheathing his swords slightly. "I like those odds. Why don't you come down and try them?"

Gedatsu shook his head. His whole posture was wrong; it looked like his arms were tangled in a weird knot, while his legs were crossed. "You misunderstand," Gedatsu drawled. His voice sounded like he was having trouble speaking, as if he were constantly biting his tongue. "This is the Ordeal of Swamp – It is not a combat trial. Instead, the bogs are filled with Swamp Clouds hidden by smog. Make a wrong move and you will fall and suffocate to death. To pass the Ordeal, you need only succeed in exiting the bogs, but the safe paths are few and treacherous."

With that, Gedatsu simply turned and walked away, instantly disappearing into the darkness. Zoro stared for a long time, motionless. Chopper was silent too.

"Wait a minute…" The doctor muttered finally, staring at Zoro incredulously with panicked eyes. "Oh no! _That means this is a_ _maze_!"

A vein bulged on the swordsman's forehead. "Why are you looking at me like that?!" Zoro demanded angrily.

* * *

Nami stirred uncomfortably, her body aching against the hard stone ground. Someone was shaking her shoulder and shouting her name in a panicked whisper. Nami dropped out of her slumber like a stone, and landed roughly back in reality.

"Nami!" Vivi hissed. "Wake up!"

"…Huh?" Nami groaned, but then the memories of sleeping gas filling the room returned to her. The navigator jumped upwards, her body wincing with pain. "What happened – ?"

"Shhh!" Vivi warned urgently. "Stay quiet."

The princess' eyes were bulging with fear. Nami was instantly alert and panicked, glancing at her environment. They were in a stone enclave, littered with old moss-covered ruins. The ground was barren and dirty, but it was real earth not Island Cloud. Nami stared in shock, before her head rose up to look at the horizon. The ancient ruins were slumped into a small hill, and in the distance an enormous beanstalk rose out of the ground and pierced into cloud.

"Where are we?" Nami asked in hushed voice. "And what's happening?"

"I don't know," Vivi replied worriedly.

"Then why are we whispering?"

Vivi looked frightened. "Because I think there's someone else out there."

Nami gulped. They were surrounded by stone blocks, half-buried into the ground, and carved with intricate patterns and characters that had faded over time. There was an eerily spooky silence over the ruins. Slowly and unwillingly, Nami started to inch forward.

She stopped, and turned back to Vivi. "You know…" Nami muttered. "You should go first."

"What?" Vivi gasped. "Why me?"

"Because you have a Devil fruit power," Nami reasoned. "So you should go first."

Vivi bit her lip with frustration, staring at the navigator angrily. "Stop being a coward!" The princess growled, already storming away. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about–"

She barely made it three steps outside in the open before suddenly something twanged underfoot. The next second, a metal spear of cloud launched out of the ground and pierced straight through Vivi. Nami squealed in shock. Vivi just stared downwards at the gaping hole in her chest, which was bleeding sand.

"So you're finally up," A bored voice muttered from above. "Now the Ordeal of Iron can begin."

The navigator jumped around to see a muscular, bald man wearing large sunglasses, sitting cross-legged on top of a large stone tablet. He was carrying a massive sword with an extra-large hilt. "I am Skybreeder Ohm," the man intoned calmly. "And you should be grateful. Only by judgement can you find peace in death."

Behind him, there was a bloodthirsty snarl as a huge animal took position behind him. Nami glimpsed sharp fangs and bloodshot eyes, before the navigator grabbed Vivi and started to run. A few steps later, she felt herself hit another pressure pad and heard a spring as another trap was triggered. Nami dived to the ground, but still the sharp iron wire bit into her shoulder deeply.

"Think on your sins," Ohm preached devotedly, drawing his blade as he jumped down from the stone tablet. "For you are in the Ruins of Penance, and there is no chance of survival."

* * *

Robin staggered as she pulled herself up. The tranquiliser was still messing her dizzy, but she was focusing quickly. Slowly, she managed to make out a wide clearing surrounded by tall, branchless trees. The archaeologist was instantly alert, looking around for enemies and falling into a defensive position.

There was a figure lying in the dirt next to her. Robin felt her heart skip.

"Luffy!" She shouted urgently, running to the captain's side. Her fingers went to his chest, and she felt pure relief as she realised he was still breathing. "Wake up, Luffy, you've got to get up…"

He was still deeply unconscious. Luffy had ate too much of the breakfast; he was too heavily sedated. Robin tried to shake him awake as she dragged his limp body for cover. Luffy stirred slightly, but didn't wake up.

"Ah! You're awake." An arrogant voice shouted from the treetops. Robin turned to see a man with a pointed moustache and an aviator hat appearing instantly in a sudden blur of wings. He was riding an enormous purple feathered bird with large wings, a sharpened beak and eager yellow eyes. They appeared faster than Robin's eyes could follow. The man scowled down at the pair, heaving up a heavy lance. "One of you is, anyways."

Robin's arms were crossed as she stood defensively over Luffy. The man frowned, while the huge bird flapped slowly to stay stationary in the air with each stroke of its huge wings.

"Really, I'm supposed to wait until you're both awake before I start the Ordeal," the man admitted slowly, musing to himself. "But if no one finds out… well…."

In a blur, the huge animal rocketed downwards. The man held tightly onto the bird's back, his lance in hand as he dived towards Robin. The archaeologist never had time to stop him. She had to leap out the way just as the lance burned a path through the air.

Fluidly, the huge bird was swooped in a wide arc and reversed direction. The rider was charging again, laughing furiously, while Robin was left defenceless. "I am Sky Rider Shura, and you facing the Ordeal of–"

Instantly, Luffy's eyes shot opened. There was no dizziness or uncertainty; just the primal knowledge that his friend was in danger and he had to move. In a blur, Luffy was in front of Robin protectively, his leg shooting upwards in a vicious kick. Shura avoided it, but barely, while the bird darted upwards with a mighty beat of your wings

"You're awake too. A pity," Shura laughed smugly, looking down on them while his bird stopped in mid-air. "It'd be better if you died in your sleep. Well then, allow me to explain the rules of God's judgem –"

He never even managed to finish as suddenly Luffy leapt up off the ground. Shura barely managed to block a fierce uppercut with his lance.

"You know, you could have let me finished," Shura muttered with irritation, activating the Heat Dial on his lance.

The weapon glowed red-hot, burning into Luffy's flesh while the pirate tried to hang on. Luffy didn't even register the pain.

"I don't care," Luffy snarled furiously, tightening his grip. "_Tell me where my friends are or I'll rip you in half_."

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Special thanks to FlightWulf for Beta-ing this chapter!**

**Next time: Everything gets violent - God starts moving, and the Ordeals heat up...**


	13. Chapter 13: The Ordeals

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Yep, I still don't own One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Luffy and his crew land in Skypiea, were people are starting to move against the tyrannical 'God' Enel. The pirates are separated and forced to fight in the Ordeals; Nami and Vivi versus Priest Ohm in the Ordeal of Iron, Chopper and Zoro trying to escape the Ordeal of Swamp, Usopp and Sanji against Priest Satori in the Ordeal of Balls, while Luffy and Robin are being hunted by Priest Shura in the Ordeal of String.**_

_**Meanwhile, there are others entering Upper Yard...**_

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Ordeals**

The battleship lagged low in the water as it crept sluggishly through the Sea Cloud. It hadn't been a good week for the marines. The battleship was a beast of steel and heavy artillery, and the Sea Cloud simply wasn't dense enough for it float on properly. The ship had been damaged severely in the knock-up stream, and it had been sinking slowly ever since. Even after haphazard repairs and abandoning excess weight, the ship was still falling to pieces.

Smoker was at the front of the prow, on his familiar position, staring out over the spotless sea of white blue clouds. In the distance, a large lump of darkness was gradually coming into view. The frown on Smoker's face seemed darker than ever.

"How's the prisoner?" The captain asked finally, not turning to face the lieutenant approaching from behind him.

"Nervous," Tashigi admitted quietly. "But she's talking."

Smoker nodded. A lot of his men, Tashigi included, had been nervous to arrest the defenceless, wrinkly old woman standing at Heaven's Gate. The gatekeeper, Amazon, had seemed like the epitome of the innocent grandmother.

Still, Smoker hadn't been fooled. He had already been pre-warned about this place by the old 'Knight of the Sky' that had flew by, and when Amazon told them that they could pass without paying, every instinct the captain had flared up. Smoker recognised a scam when he saw one, and so he had ordered his men to arrest the old woman.

It never took much interrogation before Amazon told them everything. She confirmed everything that Gan Fall had said. There was a tyrannical overlord in Skypiea calling himself 'God', and forcing everyone to worship with fear of death. Smoker had never really been one for worshipping anything.

In this distance, the outline of an island floating in the sky came into view. Upper Yard, the forbidden holy land, the old gatekeeper had warned. Smoker's scowl just deepened.

"Are you sure about this, sir?" Tashigi asked finally, staring at the overgrown island. In the distance, a huge beanstalk pierced the sky

"Don't ask silly questions, Tashigi."

She bristled slightly. A lot of the marines were nervous and she couldn't blame them. They had ended up ten thousand meters in the sky, in a place where the World Government had no authority. On the first day, a raider with a bull's mask and a bazooka had nearly destroyed the ship singlehandedly. Now, rumours had quickly spread that they were going to arrest God, and the mood had become tense.

"We're ten thousand meters away from the world," Tashigi pressed nervously. "We can't even get a signal on our transponder snails. There's no backup, and you're going to go _arrest_ the man who rules this place. The Marines have no authority up here."

Smoker glanced at her darkly. "_Justice_ has authority everywhere."

From across the deck, lounging in the sun, Captain Hina sighed gently. "Don't bother arguing when he gets like this, Tashigi," she said sympathetically. "Hina learned long ago that you can't stop him when he starts go on about 'Justice'."

Tashigi stared at her captain with her hands on her hips, frowning. Finally, she spoke quietly. "Are you sure this is actually about Justice, Captain?"

He didn't respond. Tashigi continued softly, "You don't think that you're able to capture the Straw Hats in time, do you?" Smoker twitched slightly, but didn't reply. "Instead, you need to do something big and bold to distract the higher-ups from that failure. What's the plan here – claim Skypiea for the World Government singlehandedly?"

It was a long time before the Captain answered. He took a deep breath of one of his cigars. He'd been smoking more of them than ever recently. "Go inspect the cannon deck, Tashigi," Smoker ordered woodenly. "And do not question my orders again."

The command hung in the air, like a line that could not be crossed. Slowly, Tashigi nodded and started to walk away. Hina simply stared at Smoker suspiciously.

"You realise that there isn't any law up here, right?" Hina said quietly.

Smoker grunted, taking a deep breath of his cigar. "There is now."

The tribunal was less than a week away. A Vice Admiral was already on their way to apprehend Smoker and Tashigi. If they weren't present, on the Blue Sea, by then, they would be guilty of open defiance against an official command. If they didn't have Monkey D. Luffy by then, there would be no chance of surviving the tribunal. For the first time in his career, Smoker was left seriously doubting the Marine methodology.

Despite everything, Smoker loved the Marines. He had dreamt of being a Marine Admiral ever since he was a child, and even underneath his rebellious attitude, that dream had never faded. Now, he was trapped between loyalty to the Marines and loyalty to his own subordinates. It was a conflict between Marine ideology and his personal morality. The internal debate felt like it was slowly choking him.

Still, Smoker was a soldier. He needed something to do – he needed an enemy to fight.

The dark shadows of Upper Yard towered over the ship. The island was an enormous slab of dirt and soil floating on the clouds, loomed over by trees and roots that twisted into the sky. An ominous shiver passed through the ship as they approached.

"Prepare the anchor!" Smoker yelled loudly, casting any doubts to one side. "Arm up and ready a raiding party! I want a beachhead established by the next hour, and then we march up to God's Shrine!"

At once, the crew launched into action. Every marine was shambling around the deck, frantically busy while carrying a rifle over their shoulder. Hina cast a cool glance over Smoker. "Last chance to back down," she muttered so quietly that no one else but he could hear it.

He didn't seem to respond. Instead, the captain turned to Tashigi. "Lieutenant!" He snapped. "I want you to lead the expedition party. Get ready."

Smoker glanced at Hina with irritation. The tall, pink-blond haired woman seemed completely unfazed. "Hina," Smoker muttered in a quieter, more polite tone of voice. "Please take your men and prepare the rear guard."

She nodded calmly; standing with her hands on her hips, waiting patiently.

"And make sure you bring the Seastone handcuffs and weapons," Smoker added.

"Alright," she replied softly. "Hina has one question though; what exactly are you intending to do about the Straw Hats?"

"First, I'll secure Upper Yard," Smoker grimaced. "From what I hear, this 'God' needs to be brought to justice more than anyone. I'll find the Straw Hats later. In fact, I suspect that they're already on this island."

"What makes you say that?"

Smoker raised an eyebrow. "You don't know those pirates very well, do you?" He could say with absolute certainty that wherever there was trouble, he would find Monkey D. Luffy at the centre of it.

Hina gave him a lingering glance as casually walked by and headed below deck, her hourglass figure swaying beautifully. As soon as she started to move, Fullbody and Jango started circling and dancing around her in appreciation. The captain never seemed to mind.

Smoker only grunted as he watched men frantically rushing around. Upper Yard was getting close now, and solid brick of earth dominating everything. Despite their desertion and casualties, the battleship still had nearly five hundred men on board. From what he heard, that was a number almost as great as the whole population of Skypiea.

"Justice has authority everywhere," Smoker repeated quietly, just as grapples were thrown and the battleship was lashed onto island.

Fifteen minutes later, the marines were already moving out. Cannons and artillery were heaved out on to the island, while the men rushed by and started unpacking and preparing for battle. Smoker was taking no chances. As far as he was concerned, everyone on this island was a fugitive from the law.

The captain stood at the head of the column. There were hundreds of men ready to storm Upper Yard and capture God, but he was still nervous. The forest was large, twisted and uninviting. Smoker really wished he still had his Seastone jitte, but he had made do with a heavy baton with half of pair of a Seastone handcuffs attached to the end. It was a clumsy, makeshift weapon, but it would do against a Devil fruit user.

Beneath the canopy of the trees, the heat was sweltering. Slowly, Smoker shrugged off his jacket, revealing a bare and chiselled chest as he surveyed the forest. His hands were twitching as he felt the aura of danger surround the place. After a few minutes, Smoker's ears started to twitch as he heard the faint sound of chewing emerge from the tree branches.

"Well, this is interesting." A vaguely amused but mostly bored voice murmured from above. "I've never had so many visitors before."

In an instant, Smoker's baton was ready in his hand. Above him, a tall, muscular man; bare-chested with loose, orange pants and a blue, flowing sash. The man had ear lobes that stretched to his torso with golden earrings, and four large Tomoe drums attached with a large ring to his back. He was staring at the small army behind Smoker with a light smile and an unconcerned expression, all the while chewing absentmindedly on an apple.

Smoker never heard him approach, and Smoker had good ears. That was worrying enough for Smoker to be cautious. "We are Marines of the World Government," Smoker replied firmly. "I am Captain Smoker, and currently in hot pursuit of known pirates."

The man just took a large bite out of the apple, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "How curious… it's funny to see little insects that think they're important."

"…And you are?" Smoker growled.

The man smirked widely, but his eyes were still bored. "God."

"I see," the Captain nodded. Around him, the marines were already taking formation. Dozens of rifles were pointed upwards at the intruder, and instantly Tashigi and Hina were at his side. Smoker cracked his neck and flexed his shoulders. "Then you're under arrest!"

"Yaaa ha ha ha ha ha!" Enel laughed loudly. There was a golden staff in his hand, swinging idly, but otherwise he didn't look concerned. There was a large crack as the cannons were loaded and pointed up at him.

"And on what charges?" Enel asked curiously, in the same voice one would use to humour a toddler.

"Pissing me off!" Smoker snarled. "I'll deal with anything more than that when you're in custody."

Enel was giggling now. Around him, more and more marines were readying for battle. There was a sea of rifles pointed up towards him. "You are outnumbered five hundred to one," Smoker warned.

"Four hundred and seventy two," Enel corrected idly, still lounging on the tree branch.

Smoker's frown deepened. Next to him, Hina nodded in preparation. They had the Seastone weapons ready. "This is your last chance!" Smoker yelled. "Surrender or we will open fire."

"How arrogant…!" Enel exclaimed mockingly, but his eyes started to look a bit annoyed. "Who are you to challenge _God_?"

"I am the _law_." Smoker's voice was bloodthirsty.

That caused Enel to practically fall over in a fit of laughter. The apple dropped to the ground slowly. "No…" Enel muttered darkly. "_I_ am the only law here."

Without warning, the air started to crackle with power. Smoker barely had time flinch before suddenly a stream of blindingly bright light burst from Enel's fingertips. The sound of God's laughter was deafening.

The ground seemed to explode in heat and light, disintegrating everything in its path. Smoker darted right, while Hina and Tashigi went left. Dozens of bullets skittered into the air, but Enel had already disappeared.

"You dare to confront me?" Enel was suddenly standing right behind Smoker, whispering in his ear. The Captain turned around and tried to attack, but there were already several bursts of lightning shooting from his fingertips.

Smoker's body disintegrated into smoke instinctively, and the lightning flew through him harmlessly. Enel's eyes widened in surprise slightly, and Smoker brought down the Seastone baton onto Enel's head. Enel blocked the baton with his golden staff easily, before shooting another, even brighter, burst of power at the Captain. Again, it phased through the smoke easily.

"How interesting…" Enel mused, but suddenly he didn't look so amused.

Smoker attacked with another lunge, yet Enel was blocking before Smoker even started moving. More bullets flew through Enel harmlessly, while the marines recovered their formation.

"He's a Logia!" Smoker ordered loudly. "Take cover and stick to the formation. Seastone bullets and weapons only!"

A dark glance flashed through Enel's face. "Imprudence!"

Another hail of bullets dashed through the air. This time, Enel never dared to let them phase through him. Instead, he idly dodged to the side, using his Mantra to avoid every attack. There was a burst as several Seastone nets fired towards him, yet in a flash of lightning he disappeared from sight.

"Captain!" Tashigi shouted, bursting to his side with her sword in one hand and a pair of Seastone cuffs in the other. Around them, the air was crackling with electricity.

"Get out of here, Tashigi!" Smoker bellowed. "This guy is dangerous!"

"The first sensible thing you've said all day," Enel muttered, reappearing in the tree branches again. "But it is too late now."

With a wave of his hand, the air seemed to split open. Suddenly, a blinding arc of electricity burst from his body, cutting through the ground like a hot knife through butter. Smoker screamed in shock as his men were swallowed by the bursting light. The glowing arc swung around the ground leaving a path of devastation, burning through the cannons and destroying their supplies.

Enel never stopped there. He was laughing as he pulled his arms upwards, and the streaming lightning flashed towards the battleship. The metal hull burned red for half a second before it was split like paper. The wood burst into flames but the lightning just shredded everything in its path. Marines dived overboard for cover, but then the next moment the whole battleship exploded into debris and turned to ash.

"You bastard!" Smoker yelled angrily. The smell of burning flesh was sickening. The captain's body turned to smoke and then he was shooting upwards in a plume of white, flinging his baton around.

"Bad things happen to those who defy God," Enel muttered. His eyes flashed and then Smoker's baton exploded into smouldering metal. The explosion never hurt the captain, yet the Seastone burnt into cinders. Smoker snarled and lashed out with his fist instead, but smoke phased uselessly through lightning.

Below, Hina was already rallying the rest of her men. Whatever Seastone weaponry they had was being rapidly readied. Enel flashed Smoker a mocking grin before he disappeared into electricity, reappearing right next to Captain Hina.

She reacted quickly. At once, her leg flashed upwards and transformed into iron manacles, yet it phased through Enel body. "You think just because you have a Devil fruit that you are my equal?" Enel muttered coldly. "Allow me to show you the power of a God…"

Casually, he flicked out a finger. The air exploded and Hina collapsed to the ground before she could even scream. Her body was burnt and smouldering.

Tashigi was next. She attacked first with the Seastone handcuffs, before following it up with a vicious lunge. Enel only needed to glance at her, and then the lightning sent her flying.

Around him, the air started to crackle before the ground detonated with brilliant white light. The marines were running helplessly for cover as the electricity swallowed them.

In an instant, the only thing that was left was blackened earth and flaming trees. Within a minute, Enel had transformed the beach into a warzone. No, it was a massacre.

The battleship was slowly sinking in the ocean. The ship had been completely and utterly destroyed, transformed to into cinder and eradicated, all with a flicker of Enel's hand. Smoker could see marines swimming ashore, and others running for cover, but otherwise Smoker was the only one still standing.

"How dare you?!" Smoker raged, firing a fist in a plume of smoke. Enel never even bothered dodging, but instead simply unleashed another wave of lightning that phased harmlessly through Smoker's body.

"I am God," Enel replied simply, completely unconcerned again. "It is my divine right to kill anyone I see fit."

Smoker could only growl as he launched another wave of furious but futile attacks. The smoke swirled around him, trying to wrap itself around Enel's flickering body.

"I see…" Enel murmured. "So you are 'Smoke', then?"

Smoker's attack never paused. A tendril of smoke tried to pick up a Seastone weapon, but Enel just blasted it out of his hand.

"Not all Logias are created equal," Enel continued, even as the white cloud of smoke swirled around him. "There is an order of _superiority_ in everything."

The air started to crackle again, burning as millions of volts were pumped out of Enel's body.

"'Smoke' could never defeat 'Thunder'!" The God yelled, just as the air started to glow red hot with power.

A sphere of light swallowed Smoker's dematerialised body. So much power was unleashed that the air itself started to hiss and breakdown. Every particle around Enel burst and detonated from the ionising voltage. The ground obliterated into nothing. Not even the smoke stood a chance. Smoker couldn't even scream as his whole body felt like it was on fire.

Smoker was sent helplessly firing through the air. His smoke form was gone, and instead a body of flesh and blood skidded across the ground before crashing painfully into a tree. His skin felt like it had been torched. His nerves were screaming like they were on fire, and his limbs weren't responding.

Enel was suddenly standing over him, pressing his golden staff against Smoker's throat. The captain tried to dematerialise, but couldn't.

"Don't bother," Enel said dismissively, but he was panting slightly from exertion. "Your smoke form has been disintegrated. Even Logias have their limits, especially inferior abilities like yours."

A hoarse cry erupted from Smoker's throat as the golden staff pushed further. Smoker could barely breathe. Enel slowly crouched next to him, all arrogance gone but instead replaced by a thoughtful curiosity.

"Still…" Enel mused. "Tell me… are there many Logias such as yourself in the Blue Sea?"

Smoker managed to gasp roughly, "_Yes_. Hundreds."

Enel didn't look amused anymore. "How interesting…"

Finally, Smoker collapsed into unconsciousness from lack of air. Enel kept the staff pressed against his throat for a while, staring around at the wrecked Marine encampment. Enel was well within his rights to kill them all. They intruded on his Holy Land, and defied the will of God.

Still, there was something that held him back. Enel remembered how miserable he had been for last two weeks…

"Four hundred and seventy two…" Enel pondered thoughtfully. Through his Mantra, he could feel that most of the marines were still alive. Injured and stranded, but still breathing.

A slow smile crept over Enel's face. He carefully released the pressure from the staff, and Smoker gasped for air but still couldn't move. Enel was already walking away.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Enel muttered, before disappearing in a flash of lightning.

* * *

The light darted across the sky. The next second, Enel reappeared on God's shrine, walking happily through the buildings.

"God Almighty," Gode bowed devotedly. "How may I serve?"

They were all staring at Enel now. There was something about his bright smile that made them all uneasy. Enel snatched up an apple from one of the fruit baskets, biting through it with a loud crunch.

"Today is a good day!" Enel exclaimed happily. "Let us count!"

The bearded servant looked confused, but didn't to interrupt. Enel was leaning back on his throne, counting on his fingers.

"I count four priests, and forty-eight Enforcers," Enel mused. "There are twenty-seven Shandorians invading from the South, and four hundred and seventy two soldiers from the Blue Sea, though I'm not sure how many will still be able fight…"

"Four hundred and seventy two?" Gode gasped in shock, but Enel never seemed to hear him.

"And then there are eight pirates in Ordeals right now. Also, I can feel three mercenaries approaching Angel Island…" Enel added up the numbers with his fingers. "Hmm… Still not enough."

He snapped his fingers at Gode. "I've got it!" Enel smirked. "We still have the prisoners from the old God's Enforcers, right?"

"Yes, your holiness," Gode replied quickly, bowing his head. Enel had kept the defeated army of Skypiea as prisoners for the last six years, forcing them to work on his ship. Now, Maxim was complete and the prisoners were wasting away in their cells.

"Good," Enel nodded. "I want you to release them all. Give them a good meal and a weapon, and then let them loose into the forest."

"But your–!"

Enel smile was not one which would tolerate any argument. Gode gulped and nodded his head. "It will be done, your holiness."

"That adds another thirty men," Enel said approvingly. "Hopefully that'll convince Gan Fall and whatever pathetic forces he can muster to take part too. Also, sent word to Angel Island. I want the White Berets in Upper Yard too. I suppose that'll have to do."

Despite himself, the confusion of Gode's face was clear. "Why?" The bearded man muttered with confusion.

"Because I am a God," Enel laughed loudly. "And God demands sacrifice!"

He leant back even further on his throne, until he was staring straight upwards at the sky. Enel took a large gulp out of the apple. "I've just had a really good idea for a game!"

* * *

Conis stood quietly in her house, staring at the upturned dinner table and the food that stained the carpet. She knew that she needed to clean up, but she couldn't. Instead, Conis just stood completely still and quiet. The tears had long since dried, but the pain never faded. The bad thoughts oozing around in her head were crippling.

Her sky fox Su rubbed comfortingly against Conis' leg, but not even the sweet fox could help against the despair inside. Her father had left for some reason, but Conis didn't care. Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered the smiles of the people she just sentenced to death…

Outside, Conis heard shouts and scream echo across Angel Island. Something was happening across Skypiea and the citizens were in panic, but Conis never had the motivation to go find out what.

The house seemed to shake as thunderous footsteps approached. Slowly, Conis looked upwards, just to see a large shadow of extremely obese man block out the sun. For the second time in one morning, Yama, commander of God's Enforcers, stood in her doorway. The young girl met the fat man's beady eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Your name is Conis, correct?" Yama said finally in a dull voice, his triple chin wobbling as he spoke. He had to squeeze to fit through the door. "I've heard a lot about you recently."

After a few seconds, Conis found her voice. "Excuse me?" She muttered weakly.

"Your devotion to Almighty God Enel has been noticed," Yama drawled. "You have sent an impressive number of heretics to him over the years for Judgement. I have come to reward you for your loyalty."

_Reward?_ Conis thought dumbly. The very idea of being praised for what she did was revolting. Still, Yama continued slowly.

"You have been invited to God's Shrine, in the Holy Land," Yama explained solemnly. "You have the privilege of serving God Enel in person, and living in his presence with the other devotees."

Conis never responded for a long time. Yama's dark eyes narrowed. "Serving God Almighty is a great _honour_," Yama added, in a tone that said very clearly that there was no choice here.

After a couple of seconds, Conis nodded. Her body was too numb to feel anything. In a way, it was good that this happened. After all those that she had condemned to death, it was only fitting that she faced the same death in Upper Yard.

_God will see the heresy in my mind, and execute me for it_, Conis thought emotionlessly as she walked towards Yama. _It's what I deserve_.

The beefy man watched her suspiciously as he led her out the door. Conis only paused to push Su inside and shut the door firmly. The sky fox whined and scratched at the door, but Conis just walked away. Conis never wanted Su following where she was heading.

* * *

On the other side of Angel Island, a Waver roared through the calm Sea Clouds. McKinley crashed into the beach roughly, before darting upwards to the meeting place with panic.

"There's new from Upper Yard!" The captain shouted loudly as he scrambled up the beach. "The White Berets have all been summoned to Upper Yard, and –"

He stopped as he saw Gan Fall sitting cross-legged on the ground, in full armour. Pagaya was by his side, attaching Dials into a gauntlet, while Pierre, in horse form, was scratching at the ground impatiently.

There were heavy shadows over the old man's eyes, and the scowl on his face was one of a man preparing for war. Over Gan Fall's back hung a large, bulky backpack that seemed to dwarf the scrawny old man. Gan Fall was no longer wearing his dark blue cloak, but instead had the huge backpack that was fastened securely on to his shoulders.

"What's in the bag?" McKinley asked dumbly. Pagaya was carefully adjusting Gan Fall's Impact Dial, not paying a second glance to the Captain.

"_Insurance_," Gan Fall replied, without explaining anything more. He locked eyes with McKinley. "Tell me, what is Enel doing now?"

McKinley gulped. "The White Berets have been called into Upper Yard," the Captain explained. "I will have to return shortly to avoid suspicion. Also, there are rumours that Enel has released all of the prisoners.

Gan Fall bristled. Gan Fall had spent the last six years trying to smuggle his old Enforcers out of Enel's concentration camp. If Enel had released them all now, it could only mean…

"Enel is trying to draw me out," Gan Fall decided solemnly. "And if I want to save my men, I cannot refuse."

His face was dark as he mused to himself. "Perhaps this is for the best. It is a confrontation that should have happened long ago…" Gan Fall turned to Pagaya. "Ready my weapons, and then I must go to Upper Yard."

"There's more news," McKinley continued, casting a nervous glance to Paguya. "Commander Yama was in town. Apparently he sailed away on the pirate's ship, but he took your daughter with him. Conis left for Upper Yard."

Pagaya didn't visibly respond. The Dial mechanic's face was as impassive as always. Gan Fall sighed. "That is troubling," Gan Fall admitted uneasily. "Let us not be too hasty. This requires careful deliberation and…"

His voice trailed off as the sound of a Waver blared into life. Both McKinley and Gan Fall turned in shock, just to see Pagaya bursting off into the distance, the Waver skirting full-speed over the cloud. Pagaya left without so much as an apology, shooting directly towards Upper Yard.

There was a bazooka hanging across Pagaya's back.

* * *

_The Ordeal of Swamp…_

"God dammit!" Zoro cursed as his foot slipped into the swamp. The sticky cloud enveloped his shoe. "I will kill you God! I will kill you for putting me through this!"

"But I told you to walk in a straight line!" Chopper screamed frantically. "All you had to do was _follow me_ in a straight line! How could you get lost in a _straight line_?!"

"Shut up!" Zoro snapped angrily, trying to pull himself out. "Straight lines are hard!"

"_No they're not_!" Chopper shrieked in a high pitched voice. "_They're straight_!"

A vein on Zoro's head bulged as he tried to yank his foot out of the swamp. The swamp was made out of a thick cloud, as sticky as paste and so lightweight it practically floated on the air. The swamp cloud seemed to ooze out of the darkness. It took Chopper's help to try and pull him out, and even then his foot was only released when Zoro's shoe slipped off. There was a sickening ooze as the shoe was swallowed by the swampy cloud.

Zoro gritted his teeth with frustration. The Ordeal was already wearing him down. The swamp was dark and foggy, filled with swamp cloud, tall trees and twisting roots. It was like the swamp was moving around him every step he took. It was so eerily creepy that whatever little direction Zoro had was completely swallowed.

And then there were the animals crawling around him. In the last half an hour, Zoro had already faced enormous snakes as big as horses, vicious sky sharks swimming around the bogs, and huge, flat crocodiles lurking in the fog. They all seemed to attack from behind, and Zoro's patience had already been lost somewhere in the darkness.

Chopper stared at Zoro incredulously. If it wasn't for the doctor, Zoro would have already been dead ten times over. Chopper took the lead, cautiously scouting out every path, never going out of sight of the swordsman, and taking extreme care with every step. Somehow, between Zoro's stubbornness and obliviousness, he had already walked into the swamp three different times, leaving a frantic Chopper to try and pull Zoro out each time.

"How can you get so lost?" Chopper begged with despair. "Just follow me. That's all you have to do. Just don't wander off, and follow me."

"I get it already," Zoro growled, walking off with annoyance.

"_You're going the wrong way_!" Chopper screeched loudly. Zoro stopped suddenly, just as large python lunged out at him from behind. Zoro barely managed to catch the snake's jaws just before it bit in with poisonous fangs, but then he lost his footing and tumbled backwards into the darkness.

Chopper squealed, already transforming into his Heavy Point to try and pull Zoro out. The cloud was so soft that the suction just pulled Zoro in deeper. It took five panicked minutes before Chopper heaved the gasping Zoro out, and another few minutes to unwrap the python constricting his body.

By the time he was done, both Zoro and Chopper collapsed, out of breath. Around them, the swamp seemed to stir. Up above, hidden by the gloom, there was a weird chirping that sounded almost mocking.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" Chopper gasped eventually, trembling slightly. The Ordeal of Swamp was scary enough. Trying to escape it with Zoro was nothing short of nerve wrecking. "How can you not even follow a simple direction?"

"Shut up," Zoro snarled, not meeting Chopper's eyes. If anything, he seemed a little embarrassed.

There was a moment's quiet.

Finally, Chopper asked, "Do you want to hold my hand?"

Zoro's face seemed to contort with a mixture of expressions. The swordsman glanced side to side, making sure that a blonde chef was nowhere in view. He didn't think he could ever live it down if anyone found out…

After several seconds, Zoro relented. "Alright," he mumbled under his breath, holding out his hand unwillingly. Chopper smiled eagerly, and grabbed tightly hold of Zoro with a smooth hoof before pulling him up.

Chopper kept on staring at the swordsman like a strict parent eyeing up a disrespectful child. The small doctor kept a tight hold of Zoro's hand with both hooves, forcing Zoro to walk slumped over. Chopper seemed much more relaxed.

Zoro just let himself get pulled away moodily. He was already filing this experience under 'Events which will not be remembered'.

* * *

_The Ordeal of Iron…_

With a tremendous crash, a whip of solid iron cloud smashed through the ground. The ruins exploded in a hail of rubble and stone, just as Nami dived for cover. The iron cloud seemed to twist like a snake after her, writhing in mid-air and snapping towards her. Nami barely managed to roll out the way, and then skip as the ground erupted in a barbed trap.

"There are traps everywhere!" Nami shouted loudly, while the blade twisted after her again. Ohm stood on the ruins, expertly slashing the large pommel backwards and forward while the stream of cloud flickered at his command. Even at this distance, Nami could barely avoid Ohm's attacks. It was like the priest knew exactly which way she was going to dodge.

"Find somewhere to hide!" Vivi shouted back, gathering the sand in the palm of her hand. Her other hand touched gingerly to the centre of her chest, right above her breasts, feeling the hole that was quickly filling up with sand. It was the first time she'd had her Logia intangibility tested like that. She knew that she was capable of dematerialising around attacks, but it was a completely different experience to look down and see straight through her body. If there had been time, Vivi would be freaking out.

Vivi launch a hail of sand, every grain chopping through air like a buzz saw. Ohm was reacting even before she launched the attack, drawing up his cloud sword and forming an iron wall in front of him. The sand cut a large gouge into the cloud, but didn't pierce through.

"That power of yours is annoying," Ohm commented with irritation. He flicked his wrist and the iron wall disappeared, instantly reforming into an iron whip that slashed towards Vivi. The princess managed to block the first strike with her sand, yet the second took her completely off-guard, slamming through the right side of her body.

There wasn't any pain, just a phantom numbness. Vivi blinked and then suddenly she was missing her right arm and leg, but the severed body parts had already dematerialised into sand. Suddenly, she was missing half of her limbs and she tumbled to the ground, but the sand was already reforming her body. The sensation of her bones and nerves rematerializing was beyond weird.

The cloud blade slashed down again, and Vivi rolled on instinct. The iron smashed the ground open, Vivi narrowly got out the way. Her light blue hair rolled freely behind her, only for the tips to be sliced off by the sword. Vivi gasped in shock, but her hair was being reformed from sand too. Even her clothes appeared completely intact.

"You're going to be a stubborn one to kill," Ohm muttered, pointing the pommel at Vivi. He twisted the handle expertly, and in an instant the cloud shot out like a spear. Vivi tried to run, but Ohm pre-empted her movements. In under a second, there were three holes pierced through her body, and sand pouring out of her wounds.

Vivi was gasping deeply from shock, but there wasn't even any pain. She tried to lash out again with waves of sand, but Ohm dodged them all easily. Grunting furiously, Vivi summoned a sandstorm around her, obscuring everything with spinning orange sand, only to lash out with a wide blade of sand. Even when he couldn't see anything, Ohm easily dodged the attack, and replied with a vicious onslaught of his own.

She had never imagined what a Logia power was like before. Crocodile had made using the Sand Sand fruit look easy, but it wasn't. Vivi could feel the sand churning inside of her as she drew on it more and more. It was vicious, nasty and extremely powerful. It was a power that wanted to consume everything. Trying to harness it was like trying to restrain a sandstorm.

Vivi threw out another blade of sand, but this was barely half the size of the others. Her body was trembling trying to control the power, while the sand started to churn wildly. Vivi's heart pounded furiously, but it wasn't working. It was like an ocean of sand was trying to force its way through her, and it was tearing her apart trying to control it. Beneath her feet, the earth was transforming into pure sand, yet Vivi couldn't control it anymore.

Vivi tried to push more and more power out of her, but it was uncontrollable. She had never thought of the strain a Logia power would put on the user.

The image of scarred, smirking face with a cigar flashed in front of her eyes. _Crocodile would have been able to beat this man…_

A tremble of fear shivered down Vivi's back. She could feel herself losing control of her sand. The storm surrounding her roared like an escaped beast, grinding the ruins around her into sand. Ohm merely raised an eyebrow as he pointed the pommel at her again. The iron cloud snapped towards her and pierced her stomach in a flash of white.

This time, Vivi felt the pain. The wound was pouring sand, but this time the sand was mixed with blood. Vivi's eyes widened with shock as she felt the wound to the right of her bellybutton. This time, it cut through her purple shirt. It should have been a fatal blow, but the sand had absorbed most of it and left only a flesh wound.

"But you can be hurt," Ohm muttered dispassionately. "God's Judgement cannot be avoided."

Nami was shouting at her with concern. Vivi could barely hear her over the sound of her pound heartbeat. _I can't control my powers_, Vivi realised with dread. Ohm spun his weapon towards her again, and Vivi ran with pure instinct. The sandstorm disappeared.

"Vivi!" Nami screamed. "Come on! You can do this!"

Nami pulled out her Clima-Tact, and clutched her sword tightly with her other hand. Ohm seemed to be amusing himself with Vivi, but the priest was still avoiding her attacks. It was like he could sense anything they threw at him.

Nami was just about to try again, when suddenly she wondered where his dog had disappeared to. The huge animal had been by the priest's side at the start, but then disappeared in the sandstorm. The navigator paused, and then a bloodthirsty growl erupted from behind.

"Holy," Ohm ordered lazily, not even glancing towards her. "_Kill_."

If it wasn't for Nami's sharp reflexes, the snapping jaws would have bitten her in half. In an instant, the enormous dog Holy was in front of her, smashing through the rubble while Nami was barely able to dodge. Nami jumped backwards and thrust her sword forward, instinctively dropping into the pose the Zoro had taught her.

Holy was relentless. The animal was larger than a horse, yet it stood upright on its hind legs and thrust its paws downwards in a karate chop. There wasn't time for Nami to be surprised, but the blows were so fast and powerful that they pulverised the ground beneath her.

"You taught the dog _kung fu_?" Nami shouted with shock, just as the dog launched an upper cut that nearly took her head off.

"It's actually karate," Ohm stated unhelpfully, not even pausing as he attacked Vivi.

"Like I care!" Nami growled, swinging her Clima-Tact around with one hand. The attacks were lightning fast, yet Nami managed to sidestep, keeping close to Holy's huge bulk. Almost serenely, she could hear Zoro's instructions in her ear. _When facing a larger foe, stay up close. Make their reach a disadvantage. _Nami had never thought that she would use them against a dog.

Nami slashed out with her blade towards Holy's stomach. The dog was fast enough to dodge, striking outwards with a roundhouse kick. Nami rolled underneath the leg, pulling up behind the animal. _Against a stronger enemy, take the advantage quickly. Control the position, get behind them, and attack from behind. Force them to go on the defensive._

Her blade cut a shallow wound against Holy's back, but the beast never seemed to react. Between its fur and thick hide, it was only a scratch. Still, Nami pressed onwards with her blade. At the same time, her Clima-Tact spun around, throwing out bubbles that surrounded her as she danced around the dog.

Holy struck downwards, but Nami was already moving. Sharp claws clipped lightly across her shoulder, yet Nami recovered quickly. She thrust her Clima-Tact upwards into Holy's jaw, causing the dog to yelp as the electric bubbles burst from the tip. Nami darted forward, slashing her sword across Holy's shoulder. The dog barked in pain and lashed out, and Nami triggered the clockwork birds from the Clima-Tact and pulled backwards. The wires wrapped around the dog's snout, and Nami slammed Holy's head into the ground. _When fighting with dual weapons, make sure you use both of them equally._

"I'm not weak!" Nami roared, swinging both weapons back around. Holy recovered quickly, but it was too late. Nami was already in control of the climate, and suddenly the animal was surround by half a dozen mirages, all of them swinging their weapons. _When fighting a dumber opponent, exploit that_. Wait – that was one of Nami's.

The dog could only squeal with shock as the heavy Clima-Tact edge slammed against its snout, while Nami leapt over its body and onto its back. Both hands were on her short blade as she thrust backwards, the metal cutting through flesh. Holy whimpered slightly before dropping to the ground.

"Holy!" Ohm shouted angrily, turning to face her for the first time. "How dare you! That's my dog!"

Nami stuck out her tongue mockingly, but that disappeared as soon as Ohm launched a furious lash of his weapon. Nami dodged, skirting over several traps without pausing. On the other side of the ruins, Vivi was staring at her hands, struggling to use her ability.

"Vivi!" Nami shouted urgently, just as the whip nearly decapitated her. "Come on! We can take him together!"

The princess gulped before launching forward. A wave of sand launched from her fingertips. Ohm moved his sword to block, but Nami was already charging from the other side, sword and staff in hand. Ohm never even glanced at her as he hit her in the stomach with a lightning fast kick.

"Nuisance!" Ohm muttered as Nami went flying backwards. "I may not be able to kill you easily…" Ohm motioned at Vivi, before turning to point her blade at Nami. "But I can relief _her_ from this mortal coil straight away!"

"Nami!" Vivi shouted, running forward. She triggered a dozen traps, but never even cared as the barbed wire cut through her body. Instinctively, Vivi's entire shape disintegrated into a cloud of sand.

Nami never had time to dodge as a fork of iron cloud formed from Ohm's sword and thrust towards her. It came so close that she could feel it brush lightly against her forehead. In an instant, the cloud of sand swallowed her and pulled her away. Vivi reformed just as the fork shattered through the earth behind them, and the princess was carrying Nami in her arms.

Vivi was staring at her with shock. Nami could only clutch the princess tightly, trembling dangerously. Vivi arms were surprisingly strong. A light trickle of blood poured from the centre of Nami's head.

"Are you alright?" Vivi asked. She was so close that she could feel every tremor of Nami's slender body.

Before Nami could respond, Ohm was already raising his weapon at them. A sharp spear lunged from the pommel, and Vivi had no time to dodge. There wasn't even conscious thought involved. The air was split as sickening squelch as iron cloud burst into solid flesh and blood.

"VIVI!" Nami screamed so loudly that birds erupted from a nearby forest. Nami could only stare at the iron spear that was stabbing into Vivi's back, near her shoulder. The wound was pouring with blood. Vivi slumped to the ground, dropping Nami, while Ohm merely redrew his weapon and grunted with satisfaction.

"But how…?" Nami gasped with shock. Vivi was struggling for breath. Without hesitation, Nami ripped off her shirt to bandage up the wound. It was deep, and painful. "You could have phased through it! Why didn't you phase through it…?"

The realisation hit her a second later. The tears were pouring out of her eyes. "If you had phased through…" Nami gulped. "It would have hit _me_…?"

Vivi blinked several times. "It's nothing," she murmured weakly, flinching as Nami gently tried to stop the blood. Vivi was crying too.

Nami stifled a sob, hugging Vivi tightly. "But why?" She muttered feebly.

"You're my friend…" Vivi gasped struggling to move. Her shoulder was burning with agony. "And I couldn't–"

"Why do you struggle so much?" Ohm drawled from behind him, preaching solemnly. "I offer you freedom from the burdens of life. You should be thankful for the –"

"Shut up!" Nami snapped furiously at Ohm, still holding Vivi tightly. The priest only scoffed, slowly walking towards them.

Gently, Nami pulled Vivi to her feet, staring at her apologetically. Nami gulped. "Come on." She was panting heavily. "We can beat him together," Nami repeated urgently.

Vivi nodded slowly, unwillingly pulling away from Nami. Nami straightened up, spinning her sword and Clima-Tact together. Vivi cradled her shoulder gingerly, but she was still ready to fight The two girls stood side by side. Vivi shrugged her ruined shirt off, while Nami rolled her shoulders in anticipation. Both girls were left in their bikinis and short pants, but neither seemed to mind.

_I'm tired of being weak_, Vivi thought angrily, spinning the sand around. "Let's do this!"

Ohm lashed out at both of them with a fan of iron, but Vivi pushed Nami out the way and dematerialised through the attack. The sand writhed around her, but suddenly it was so much easier to control with Nami by her side.

"I need hot air!" Nami shouted, spinning her Clima-Tact. Vivi nodded in understanding before extending her right hand. The air flickered as the moisture was absorbed away. The grass turned yellow before disintegrating into dust.

Nami's brow curled as she expertly manipulated the weather. Her Clima-Tact flashed, spinning the air currents around her until a microclimate generated. Nami could practically see the air flow, and feel the pressure building. "Ready?" Nami asked, pulling the Clima-Tact backwards.

"Ready!" Vivi shouted. At the same time, Vivi summoned a huge burst of sand from her fingertips while Nami unleashed the Clima-Tact. Ohm was already preparing his defence, but the sand and wind meshed together and intensified.

"_Sand Hurricane!_" Nami and Vivi shouted in union. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion of pressure, and tonnes of sand cut towards Ohm behind a gale-force gust of wind.

Ohm shaped his blade into a wall of iron in an instant, but the pressure couldn't be stopped. The iron shuddered for half a second before collapsing underneath the sand. Ohm's eyes widened in shock, and then he leapt to the side to avoid the attack. The hurricane carved through the ground, devastating the ruins.

_So he can't see the future_, Nami realised with satisfaction. The priest had been pre-empting their every move, but he had been cut off-guard this time. He was reading their intentions and knew _when_ they were about to attack, but couldn't tell _how_ they would attack.

With a grunt of frustration, Ohm pushed the debris of his body. His sunglasses were broken and his body was scraped, but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

"How dare you?" Ohm growled, but Vivi gave him no chance to recover. In an instant, she launched an onslaught of sand blades. Ohm blocked every attack, yet it seemed like he was a bit slower than normal. _Was his concentration failing?_ Nami wondered, diving in for the attack.

"I am God's Chosen!" Ohm shouted angrily. "I will deliver Judgement on all infidels!"

"Well, _I_ know the weakness of that weapon of yours," Nami smirked, running up close, readying the Clima-Tact. Ohm took no chances, and shaped the iron cloud into a protective dome. As expected.

"That sword is conductive!" Nami screamed victoriously, spinning the clouds from her Clima-Tact until they were pitch black and sparked with power. The lightning flowed straight through her staff and collided with the iron dome. Her vision was blocked, but Nami still heard the exclamation of pain as the electricity flowed straight through the sword pommel.

Her victory was short-lived. Slowly, the iron dome reshaped into a blade and Ohm emerged, slightly scorched but very angry. "Fools," Ohm spat. "Did you really think that lightning of _that_ level would work against _me_?"

Nami barely had time to dodge as his blade flashed towards her. Vivi was by her side in a blur of sand, pulling her away as the onslaught continued relentlessly.

"This is the Ordeal of Iron!" Ohm bellowed angrily. "Zero percent survival rate! You will give _penance_!"

The girls dodged another furious attack. The priest was a monster and refused to go down easily. "Do you have another plan?" Vivi asked nervously. She was still losing blood from her injuries, and her movements were become sluggish.

Nami hesitated, just as a fan of iron cloud nearly took her arms off. Ohm launched a spear of iron, forcing Nami to block the attack with her sword. The metal blade nearly snapped under the pressure, and Nami fell to the ground.

"You will not escape –" Ohm started, but was interrupted by an impact from behind. His Mantra was so disrupted he never even felt the presence approach. Suddenly, a heavy object collided into his back, and sent the priest flying headfirst into the ground.

The priest recovered like a beast. "You!" He growled at the figure skating across the air towards, carrying a huge, smoking bazooka over his shoulder. "Wiper!"

"Yep," Wiper smirked, flexing his muscled shoulders, and chewing on a cigarillo. His left arm was covered in white bandages but otherwise he was bare-chested. The raider carried a huge bazooka over his left shoulder and a thick wooden shield in his right hand. His skates hissed with air, causing him to hover to the ground. "_Me_."

Instantly, Wiper's skates powered up and he glided at Ohm quickly, wielding his huge bazooka like a club. The priest blocked, but then the bazooka exploded in white-blue flames. Ohm dodged, but suddenly it looked like the priest was a disadvantage.

The two began to dance in a blur of motion. Wiper flashed around him, firing off his bazooka in furious blasts while Ohms blade dodged after him.

"Who's that?" Vivi asked with shock at the sudden intrusion. From the nearby forest, there were more raiders with masks skating across the air, all wielding weapons.

"Maybe they're friendly?" Nami asked hopefully, watching the raider and the priest flash around each other with breakneck speed. Ohm was incredibly fast and strong, but Wiper matched him every step of the way.

"Kill them all!" Wiper roared at the other raiders. Ohm merely growled, extending his sword to lash at multiple targets, but otherwise starting to retreat. "We retake our homeland today! Anyone standing on our land dies!"

"Nope!" Nami shouted quickly, already pulling Vivi up and starting to run. The raiders gave chase, their battle cries filling the air. "Definitely not friendly!"

"Surround this priest!" Wiper ordered from behind him, his men falling into the battle. "I want his head on a stake!"

In seconds, the ruins exploded into battle. Nami and Vivi never even turned around as they fled. Ohm stared furiously at his escaping prey, but he couldn't pause against Wiper's onslaught. His normally calm body was shaking with rage.

The Ordeal of Iron had just had its very first escapees. The probability of survival was up to two percent. His perfect record was ruined.

"I will not let you leave here alive!" Ohm shouted at the fleeing girls, lashing out against Wiper with a whip of iron. "I will hunt you down! You will face penance!"

* * *

_The Ordeal of Balls…_

With a huge shockwave, Sanji's limp body fell backwards to the ground. The sound of Satori's laughter rang across the forest.

"Sanji!" Usopp shouted with panic. Next to him, Carue gave a loud squawk.

Trembling, the chef pulled himself up to his feet again. His suit was tattered and ruined, and his body was bruised and filthy. Sanji's teeth gritted as he stood up yet again.

Satori never stopped dancing. The fat man bobbed up and down, floating on the balls of cloud across the forest, while Sanji fought for his life.

"Come on!" Usopp shouted loading up his slingshot and providing cover fire. "Get him!"

Satori danced around the projectiles with surprising grace. Sanji growled as he leapt upwards, swinging his leg around so fast it blurred. The priest idly extended his hand, just as the black foot collided.

Yet there was no impact. Sanji's foot hit against Satori's palm with a faint thud, but without any force. Satori's laughter increased as he slammed his open hand into Sanji's face.

There was another huge shockwave. Sanji's eyes rolled before he collapsed down again. This time, he didn't get up.

"One down!" Satori chuckled, turning to face Usopp. "And one to go!"

The sniper gulped with dread, reloading and firing of a salvo of projectiles with lightning speed. Satori dodged them all easily, spinning through the air as he bounced across the balls of clouds. He had a striped cane in his hand, which he used to push the balls of cloud towards Usopp.

Carue quickly pulled Usopp onto his back and started to run quickly. Usopp sat backwards across the duck's back, still shooting at the priest. The balls of cloud bounced around him, unleashing everything from explosions, to spears, to weird animals. Carue dodged frantically around them, powerful legs pounding of the ground as he ran in fear.

"Ho, ho hoooo!" Satori laughed, using his cane to bat the balls towards Usopp expertly. "You have already lost! The ship has left the Lost Forest! There is no escape for you now!"

Usopp never responded. The priest was toying with him now, seeing how far they would go. Usopp's hand flickered across his slingshot, firing faster and faster, until finally he grabbed nothing but air.

"Damn it," Usopp cursed with dread, feeling his empty pockets. "I'm out of ammo…"

"What a shame," Satori chided in a singsong voice, dropping out of the air towards him. Carue squawking and reversed direction, but Satori was already spinning a large ball towards them. The ball of cloud flew towards them with pinpoint precision, before exploding in a cloud of dust.

The eruption took Carue to the ground, and sent the duck flying against a tree. Usopp was sent skidding across the ground painfully, his body smoking slightly.

"Looks like I'm going to win!" Satori chuckled. The priest was on the ground now, walking towards Usopp with a bright smile. "No one else has killed their prey yet!"

With a groan, Usopp pulled himself up. He had his hammer in his hand. "Don't underestimate me!" The sharpshooter screamed. "I am Captain Usopp! The brave warrior of the sea!"

"Oh, really?" Satori muttered doubtfully. With a burst of speed, the priest appeared in front of Usopp, and slammed his hand into his face. The air exploded, and Usopp flew backwards from impact, coughing blood.

"That other guy was much stronger than you are," Satori commented. His palm was smoking, and he was massaging his wrists from the recoil.

With a gasp, Usopp staggered upwards. "I told you not underestimate me!" Usopp growled angrily. He lost his hammer, so he was forced to raise his fists instead. "I am the brave warrior of the sea!"

"Ho, ho hoooo!" Satori cheered, bounding upwards into the air. His cane waved, and the balls of cloud started to move around him. "Then let's see how you like my strongest attack! I love using this!"

The clouds started to connect together, spinning into a large chain around Satori. One cloud, larger than the others, had a dragon head mask attached and rolled to the front of the queue. The priest did it all swiftly, simply spinning as the balls took shape.

"The end is near!" Satori sung, while Usopp struggled to even stand up. "Rest in peace! I am a God's priest, you could never have won! Behold the surprising illusion – the Orb Dragon!"

Satori spun his cane over his head, and then the series of balls shot downwards. The gaping mouth of dragon's head roared towards Usopp. "The Orb Dragon is made of surprise clouds that contain bombs and blades! As soon as the head collides, it's all over! The chain reaction causes a humongous explosion!"

Usopp couldn't even run as the Orb Dragon avalanched onto him. Satori just kept on laughing, hovering on the floating orbs.

The explosion was so loud it caused the ground to shudder. It gouged a crater in the middle of the forest, spitting blades and weapons across every surface. The ground was scolded black while a small mushroom cloud of dust broke around him. Satori looked vaguely disappointed.

"What an unbelievable idiot…!" Satori muttered. "Talking big when he was almost dead. Oh well, at least I've won…"

There was a shallow gasp as the blackened earth started to shift. Satori's eyes nearly burst out as Usopp crawled out of the debris.

"I told you…" Usopp murmured weakly, barely managing to breath. His body was scorched. "…I'm the brave warrior of the sea…"

The priest was quiet for a while, but then his laugher rang out through the forest, louder and clearer than ever. "I think you're a liar!" Satori mocked, dancing on the floating orbs.

Usopp managed a smirk. Every bone in his body felt broken. "Oh, you have _no_ idea."

With delicate grace, Satori step of the cloud. His heavy body cannonballed downwards like a stone, and crashed into Usopp with a furious thud. Usopp screamed with agony as Satori landed on top of him, and then the priest grabbed pressed his palm into the back of Usopp's head. "Let's finish this!" Satori mocked, slamming Usopp's face into the ground.

Without warning, there was a shrill shriek that split the sky. A shape dropped downwards, a large metal lance in hand. Satori barely managed to jump backwards before the lance skewed the ground.

"You bastard!" Satori cursed angrily, his smile disappearing for the first time. "This doesn't concern you!"

"Oh, but it does," the figure muttered, raising the visor on his heavy metal helm. Gan Fall stared at Satori darkly. "I am the Knight of the Sky. Anything that happens in Skypiea is my concern."

Usopp glanced weakly up at the armoured figure standing over him. The old man wore thick metal armour that seemed almost too big for him, and he had a large, overfilled backpack fastened securely over his shoulders.

The knight was riding a large animal with the general shape of a horse, except it was bright pink with red polka dots, and large white wings extending from its shoulders. _That's it_, Usopp thought eventually, _I've gone insane._

Gan Fall heaved up Usopp's limp body and slung him over the back of the weird animal. Vaguely, Usopp realised that Sanji was already lying next him.

"You have no right to enter Upper Yard!" Satori was bobbing angrily while the Gan Fall kept his lance pointed at the priest at all times.

"Do you wish to stop me?" Gan Fall threatened darkly. "I am aware just how to combat Mantra users like you."

Satori shot forward and slammed his cane down on Gan Fall, only to be blocked by the lance. Satori brought down his palm, but it was met by Gan Fall's gauntlet. The two shockwaves cancelled each other out.

"Let's go, Pierre!" Gan Fall ordered and the Pegasus started flapping. Satori leapt across the orbs to give chase, smashing the balls towards him, but Pierre dodged them agilely. Gan Fall dived into pick up the unconscious body of Carue, causing Pierre to flap furiously with all the added weight.

"Flying!?" Satori yelled angrily. His cane flickered, firing balls towards Gan Fall furiously, yet Pierre dodged them all. "That's _cheating_!"

"Hmph! Yell all you like!" Gan Fall snorted, shooting straight upwards and out of the Lost Forest while Usopp hung on for dear life. "I will be facing your 'God' soon enough."

* * *

_The Ordeal of String…_

Shura flickered across the trees with breakneck speed. On the back of the giant bird Fuza, the priest was an orange blur through the trees. Still, Luffy somehow managed to keep pace.

"You are an annoying little runt!" Shura growled angrily, diving down at Luffy from above. His javelin was glowing red hot.

Luffy narrowly managed to avoid the blow, darting backwards as the javelin scorched through the earth. The bird Fuza twisted after him, gushes of fire exploding from its mouth. The flames caught the edge of Luffy's vest, but he ripped it off without a second thought.

The pirate launched himself at Shura, spinning his arm around in a powerful blow. Shura dodged it effortlessly, before lashing out with his javelin. The burning edge cut across Luffy's side, yet he forced himself forward furiously. Shura ducked under Luffy's roundhouse kick, and slammed his elbow into Luffy's stomach and threw him to the ground.

_He's predicting my attacks_, Luffy thought angrily, just as Shura slammed his hand in front of his face in mid-air. Something clicked, and a shockwave of pressure erupted from his palm. Luffy took the blow like a champion, but the impact still caused him to cough up blood.

Luffy collided roughly with the earth, and then he felt something click beneath him. He rolled, just as the ground exploded in a shower of debris.

"Ha! You're one unlucky brat!" Shura laughed while Fuza spun around. "That's the third mine you've triggered so far."

Luffy only growled, shaking off his injuries and pulled himself up. The Sky Rider swooped in for another attack. Opposite the clearing, Robin took position with her arms crossed. Shura only smirked.

Two arms sprouted from Shura's shoulders and went for his throat, yet the priest was ready for them. Luffy shouted in shock at Robin, but she was too late. As soon as the arms appeared, Shura placed his hands on to both of them tightly and triggered something in his gloves.

"Double impact!" He shouted loudly, just as the air exploded.

Robin screamed in pain. Luffy was by her side in a heartbeat, cradling her hands with concern. Nasty bruises were quickly forming across her skin, and her wrists could have been broken for all he knew.

Any damage that happens to her sprouted hands is reflected on her. _She puts herself in danger each time she uses her powers_, Luffy realised, _and this guy knows every time an attack is coming_.

Shura was already taking advantage of the distraction. He spun around and dived down with his javelin, straight for Robin's exposed back. Luffy jumped between them, slamming a kick at the bird while Shura spun around. Luffy clung tightly to the bird's wing, and the whole world spun as Fuza spiralled with dizzying speed.

"Luffy!" Robin shouted with panic, wincing as she crossed her injured arms again.

"No!" Luffy screamed instantly. "Don't use your powers anymore. I'll handle him!"

If anything, Shura looked vaguely amused with the suggestion. "You'll handle me?" He muttered, easily keeping his grip as Fuza spun in the air. "That woman has a weird power. You, on the other hand, are absolutely nothing special."

The bird thrust its wings forward and slowed down. That was all the opportunity Luffy needed to jump onto its back and launch an uppercut at Shura. The priest idly absorbed the blow with the palm of his hand, and then easily sidestepped the following kick. Luffy growled, and then tackled at Shura with his whole body. The priest simply dug his heels into Fuza, and the bird dived and Luffy went falling to the ground.

"You will never beat me in the sky," Shura mocked, turning around for the attack. "And the ground is mined. It's time you saw the real terror of the Ordeal of String."

Luffy never even hit the ground. His body stopped, suspended in mid-air. He tried to thrash, but suddenly his limbs weren't moving. It took him a few seconds to realise why.

"String?" He exclaimed, seeing the tiny, nearly invisible threads that entangled his whole body. They were tiny and barely visible in the shadows, yet there were enough of them that his limbs felt too heavy to move.

"String cloud," Shura explained, just as Fuza dived in again. "You've been entangling yourself in them for a while now. This is the Ordeal of String, and you have lost!"

The priest jumped off the bird's back, plunging at Luffy with his javelin. The pirate couldn't dodge it, and the burning javelin bit into his shoulder. Involuntarily, a harsh scream burst from Luffy's throat. Shura was on top of him, the extra weight causing the strings to snap, while he forced the javelin in deeper.

Despite the pain, somewhere in the distance, Luffy could hear Robin shouting his name in shock. That alone gave him all the strength he needed to press onwards.

Luffy grabbed a hold of Shura tightly. The priest scoffed, and then pressed his hand into Luffy's chest. Something triggered, and the shockwave felt like it pulverised his internal organs. Still, Luffy never stopped thrashing.

He was breaking through the string now, toppling to the ground, keeping tight a hold of Shura even as the priest skewered him with his javelin. "Why won't you just die already?" The priest growled, and then Fuza caught them in mid-air.

The Sky Rider jumped back on his mount, while Luffy ended up in the bird's talons. The air blurred around him as Fuza accelerated with a flap of powerful wings. The next thing he knew, Luffy was being slammed into a tree trunk by the giant bird, before falling to the ground. As he bounced of the earth, he landed on another mine.

Fuza dropped to the ground, while Shura scratched his head as while the smoke cloud cleared. Somehow, Luffy was still standing, and staggering towards the priest slowly.

"Ok – you can take a beating, I'll give you that much," the priest conceded, staring at Luffy with faint bemusement. "You fight like a _zombie_. Is that the only thing you can do; stand up after a beat down? You're basically a human punching bag."

Luffy's heart was pounding like a sledgehammer in his chest. "Oh no," he snarled. "You've never seen what _I_ can do."

He darted forward again. Shura scoffed while Fuza flew off the ground in a huge flap of wings. The huge bird screeched, opening its beak while the flames burst from its throat. This time, Luffy didn't even dodge. The fire scorched his skin, but Luffy just charged through. He couldn't feel the pain anymore.

The next second, Luffy's hand rammed inside the bird's mouth. It's sharp beak bit into his shoulder. Its beady eyes practically popped out as Luffy arm slammed down its fiery throat, but his singed fingers wrapped around the object inside its huge mouth. Luffy had recognised it before. Fuza couldn't really breathe fire; the bird just had a Flame Dial embedded in mouth.

With a crack, the shell snapped open in his grip and all the fire it contained exploded outwards. Luffy snatched his arm away, and then screamed with effort as he slammed Fuza's beak shut. The huge bird barely had time to squeal as the explosion erupted inside of his body. Smoke trailed from its nostrils as it slumped to the ground.

"Fuza!" Shura exclaimed with shock, staring at Luffy. "You bastard!"

Luffy's arm was scorched and his shoulder was bleeding, but he darted forward regardless. "Let's how well you do on the ground," Luffy muttered darkly.

The priest was forced on to the defensive under Luffy's onslaught, yet none of the punches came close. Shura avoided them all before Luffy even through them. "I will kill you for what you did to my bird!" The priest promised. "But nothing's changed! You still can't even touch me!"

His fists slammed against nothing but air. Shura drew his javelin, but Luffy was attacking so furiously there was no chance for counterattack. Instead, the pair just danced across the ground. Luffy was relentless, Shura was unhittable.

"It's useless!" The Sky Rider muttered with frustration. "You can't escape my Mantra!"

With a wordless scream of fury, Luffy charged forward. His fist collided with the Impact Dial in Shura's glove, and then the Sky Rider released the power straight back at him. Luffy's body skidded across the earth, while Shura just massaged his shoulder lightly from the recoil.

"You seem insistent on making me annoyed," Shura muttered coldly. "Haven't you realised the futility of your actions yet? I am one of God's priests. Going against me is defying God's will."

Luffy glared at him. His eyes burnt. The blood was pounding through his body like burning fire. "You hurt my friend," Luffy gasped, dragging himself up again. "_Nothing can save you now_."

Shura merely scoffed as Luffy charged again. Luffy drew back his arm for another blow, and Shura knew instantly where it was coming. _Left uppercut_, the priest thought smugly, sidestepping to the right as Luffy slammed forward.

He only had time to blink as suddenly Luffy's arm twisted around his body to the right, straight towards Shura's face.

_That's impossible_, the Sky Rider thought in shock, just before Luffy's knuckles collided with his nose and everything went black.

When he regained his senses, Shura was lying on the floor blood pouring from his nose, while Luffy charged in for another attack. _It was impossible –Mantra could never be wrong. Unless…_

_Did he just predict my prediction?_ Shura thought stupidly, while Luffy grabbed tight a hold of his collar.

"Try avoiding this one." Luffy kept tight a hold of Shura's collar as he drew back his other hand and slammed it forward. The Sky Rider's helmet flew off as he fought to stay conscious.

"You bastard…" Shura growled, recovering enough to kicking his foot into Luffy's stomach before lashing out with his javelin. "Die already!"

The red hot javelin burnt past Luffy's face. He didn't even hesitate as he gripped the burning metal and pulled the handle out of Shura's grip. Shura never had time to duck before Luffy rammed the handle straight into his face.

Luffy kept his grip on Shura's collar, holding the priest so closely that he never stood a chance of avoiding his attacks. Shura screamed with rage, before thrusting his hand forward.

"Impact!" He screamed loudly, just as the air exploded with pressure. The force hit Luffy straight on the chest and caused him to stagger, but his grip was like iron.

"Damn you!" Shura screamed, attacking again. "Impact!"

"Impact!" The air exploded again. Luffy still never let go.

"_Impact_!" Luffy nearly collapsed, but his will was unbreakable.

"IMPACT!" Shura attacked with both hands. Around him, the ground was pulverised. Luffy could barely feel it.

There was a moment's silence. Luffy's breath was shallow. Shura tried to activate the Dials again. "Impact?" He muttered weakly, but nothing happened.

"You're all out of impacts." Luffy's expression was predatory as he drew back his fist. "_I'm not_."

The first blow nearly shattered Shura's skull. The second was just as powerful. Luffy kept tight a hold of the priest with one hand, and pounded him straight in the face with the other. By the tenth blow, Shura collapsed into a limp puddle at the pirate's feet.

Behind him, the giant bird Fuza tried to stagger upwards. It barely managed to stand up before slender legs sprouted around it, and dozens of feet wrapped around its wings.

Nico Robin stood calmly next to the bird. Her hands were still tender, so she used her legs this time. "Mr Captain has some issues to work out with the Sky Rider over there. Please stay out of it," she said gently, constricting her knees around the bird. Fuza collapsed to back to the ground with a crack.

Luffy stood over Shura's limp body, holding the priest up by his throat. "Tell me right now," Luffy snarled. "Where are my friends?"

"You can't do this…" Shura muttered through a mouthful of broken teeth. "I am God's priest…"

Luffy's eyes were practically burning as he tightened his grip. "Really? Well I'm feeling pretty heretical right now."

Shura screamed in pain. Despite the agony, the hatred filled him. Even if he couldn't kill him, Shura would ensure that Luffy died. "The beanstalk!" Shura gasped, pointing towards towering Giant Jack in the distance. "They're all at the beanstalk!"

It was a lie, but how would Luffy ever know? The priest would deliver the infidels to God himself, and Enel would kill them.

Luffy relaxed his grip, but only slightly. The pirate paused for half a second, and glanced back at Robin, who was watching quietly. Luffy took a deep, calming breath, and then dropped Shura to the ground.

"If you ever threaten anybody I care about again," Luffy promised coldly. "I will kill you."

The priest was left a shivering wreck on the ground. Luffy walked back towards Robin quietly.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently.

A bright smile spilt Luffy's face. He didn't seem at all concerned about his injuries. "I'm fine," he said cheerfully, before his expression filled with concern. "What about you? Are your hands alright?"

Robin looked amused. "They're fine, Mr Captain."

He nodded, starting to walk away from the Ordeal of Strings. "Watch out for the mines. I'll go first. Let's see if we can reach the beanstalk and meet up with everyone by nightfall."

The archaeologist's eyes lingered on him for a long time. "Does it ever get tiring..." Robin asked quietly. "... to care so much about everyone else?"

The question surprised Luffy. "Never," he said firmly, grinning like a child. Robin stared at him for a while, but then she started to smile too. Luffy made her smile a lot.

Just as they started to leave, the ground started to rumble. Around them, there was thunderous crack as trees were demolished under the weight of a huge animal. Luffy stopped and turned, while a huge shadow blocked out the sun.

Shura was left too weak to move, staring upwards as the monster of a beast towered over them. "Oh no…" The priest gasped weakly, the dread clearly visible in his eyes. "Not _that_–"

That was the last thing the priest managed to say before he was swallowed whole by colossal jaws. Luffy was already running, practically dragged Robin behind him. Humongous yellow eyes watched them go before giving chase instinctively.

"Holy –!" Luffy screamed in shock, just as the monstrous python lunged after them, accelerating faster than should have been possible with its colossal mass. Its scaly body was bigger than a skyscraper, yet it struck with frighteningly fast speed.

There was nothing but a blur of huge fangs. Robin held on to him tightly as a ladder of feet appeared from the tree trunks and yanked them upwards. The python writhed around and slammed venomous fangs into the tree trunk, but Luffy and Robin were already fleeing for their lives. The goliath snake's teeth caught into the thick wood, leaving it to wriggle almost comically while trying to free itself.

Perhaps that was the reason why Luffy and Robin were giggling like fools as they ran away, clutching each other's hand tightly.

* * *

_The Ordeal of Swamp…_

Five hours later, Chopper burst through brambles and climbed out of the fog. The reindeer was slightly dirty and his fur was shaggy, but otherwise he was completely unharmed.

"Yeah!" Chopper shouted happily, pulling his partner out. "We've made it!"

With a grumble, Zoro staggered out. The swordsman was absolutely wrecked. His clothes were shredded, he was missing a shoe, and he was caked in mud and filth. There were teeth marks across Zoro's body, and his body was itching from hundreds of insects' bites. He didn't even have the energy to complain about it anymore.

"Phew!" Chopper sighed, keeping tight a hold of Zoro's hand. "I'm glad that's over with."

Zoro cleared his throat and spoke quietly. "Do you remember what we talked about?" Zoro muttered. "You are _not_ to mention this to anyone. Especially not to the shitty cook."

The doctor didn't seem to hear him. Instead, Chopper stood on top of a small rock, looking around at where to go next. They were out of the ditch of a swamp, but they were still in a thick, overgrown forest. Zoro just sighed.

"We've got to meet up with the others," Chopper mused, looking around slowly. "Hmm… I wonder where they're at."

Zoro stomped forward. The swamp had sucked away all his motivation. "Let's just get this over with," he muttered.

"Hey!" Chopper chided disapprovingly, holding out a hoof. "Where do you think _you're_ going?"

The swordsman stopped, slumped his shoulders and then turned back to take hold Chopper's hoof. The doctor smiled happily and started to walk onwards, chattering happily about the curiosities of the island. Zoro just followed miserably.

The forest seemed to go on forever. It was overgrown and filled with huge animals, but Chopper seemed completely at ease so long as he was holding on to Zoro. It took them half an hour to exit the forest, emerging in to a clearing where they could stare out at the setting sun.

"We'll head south," Chopper decided finally. "Let's see if we can get back to Angel Island. Phew, this was been a hard day."

Zoro didn't respond. Then, the reindeer's nose wrinkled as he sniffed the air. "Wait… I smell someone coming."

The swordsman instantly perked up. Chopper looked nervous. "There are lots of people coming from that direction!" Chopper shouted with panic.

The sound of heavy footsteps spread through the forests. Both pirates recognised the sound. An evil grin started to spread across Zoro's face.

"Marines…" Zoro muttered happily.

"Marines!" Chopper squealed with fear, pulling Zoro's hand. The swordsman never budged. "We've got to get out of here."

"You go on ahead," Zoro ordered, yank away his hand away. His swords unsheathed with sharp click. "I'll make sure they don't follow."

"But –"

"We're out of that swamp now. Go find the others." Zoro grin was practically demonic. "It's time for me to do what _I'm_ good at."

Chopper hesitated, but suddenly Zoro seemed like he didn't need any help. The swordsman looked happier than he'd been all day. The sound of the marines boomed closer.

"_Go_." Zoro's voice left absolutely no room for argument. With a panicked squeal, Chopper transformed into his Walk Point and galloped away.

Seconds later, the marine squadron burst out of trees. There were about three dozen of them. They were all carrying rifles and looked nervous. Zoro was standing in the middle of the clearing, waiting for them with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

"'Pirate Hunter' Zoro!" The leader exclaimed, brandishing his weapon.

"Evening," Zoro nodded in greeting. In a flash, all three swords were flickering in the sun, and Zoro charged forward. "I've been having a bad day!"

The sound of gunfire spread echoed around the forest for a while. It didn't last long.

A few minutes later, Zoro sighed with relief he was wiped the blood off his sword. There were three dozen bodies littered around him, all with looks of intense fear and shock plastered across their faces. A few were groaning weakly, but none were standing up. _I really needed that,_ Zoro thought thankfully, feeling the tension ease off his shoulders.

There were more footsteps emerging from the trees, this time more urgent. They must have heard the gunshots. Zoro just smirked and placed his sword back in his mouth, spinning the other two idly.

The marines stomped into the clearing, staring with panic at their defeated comrades. "You monster!" One of them screamed, despite his trembling weapon.

"That's right," Zoro growled. He stepped forward, and the crowd of them stepped backwards like a herd of frightened gazelles. "And it looks like you're the next meal!"

"What's going on there?" The new voice was firm and strong, and it made Zoro's heart jumped. "Report!"

Tashigi broke through towards the clearing. Her sword was in hand as she slashed the brambles out the way. As soon as Tashigi and Zoro made eye contact, everything halted.

"You!" Tashigi exclaimed, thrusting her blade forward.

A range of emotions flashed across Zoro's face. He tried to say something, but all that came out was a wordless groan. _Her…!_

"What did you do to my scouting party?" The lieutenant demanded angrily. The rest of the marines filed in behind her, rifles ready but otherwise happy to let Tashigi go first.

Zoro frowned sheepishly. "Oh, they're all fine, I used the back of my blade only," he muttered dismissively, shifting uncomfortably. "I don't like killing weaklings."

Tashigi approached cautiously, sword in hand. It was a long time before she spoke. "You're under arrest," she said finally, with only a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"Not this again…" Zoro groaned with despair, looking at Tashigi almost pleadingly. The marines were starting to flank him, all rifles aimed at him. "Couldn't you just…?"

Tashigi didn't respond. Zoro's expression was painful. The memories of the last time they fought were all too vivid.

For a while, Zoro held his swords tightly, but didn't raise them. "Argh…" Zoro moaned with uncertainty, debating it to himself. He kicked the ground with anger as the internal debate raised. "This is… Why can't you… but…"

He locked eyes with Tashigi uncomfortably. He really, really wanted to just fight his way out, but at the same time he knew he couldn't. This wasn't a problem he could fight. Zoro _hated_ problems he couldn't fight. After a few moments of uncertainty, Zoro sighed in defeat.

"Fine," he muttered in quiet resignation, sheathing all three of his blades. With a pained glance, Zoro lifted his hands above his head. "You got me."

Nobody moved. Tashigi was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Zoro groaned and raised his voice, focused completely on Tashigi. "I surrender!"

* * *

On Angel Island, things were panicked as the sun started to set over the horizon. The White Berets had left, and the rumours of events in Upper Yard had drifted down to them. No one knew what was happening, but they were all scared.

As dusk fell, Beret, Isaac and Marcus walked down through Lovely Street, staring at the winged Skypieans as if they were surrounded by aliens. The Skypieans were too frantic to pay the Devil fruit hunters much attention. For a long time, the group just stood and watched.

The Skypieans were all ridiculously innocent. They never had any weapons, or military might, or even any will to fight. Despites years of living under a tyrannical God, their nature had hardly changed. The inhabitants of Angel Island were absolutely no threat to anyone.

After fifteen minutes, Marcus finally spoke up. "Hey, Isaac?" He asked curiously. Marcus' fingers were twitching slightly.

The slender man replied cautiously. "Yes?"

"Do you know how you said that I could kill everyone?"

Isaac's voice was nervous. Berrit took a step backwards. "Yes?"

"Is it ok if I start right now?"

The slender man straightened his glasses and sighed deeply. "If you must," Isaac muttered in resignation.

That was when Marcus started laughing. Both Isaac and Berrit turned their heads in distaste, while the air around them started to glow. The angels started to notice the trio, and then they started to run. They weren't fast enough.

The sound of bloodcurdling screams reverberated across Angel Island as night fell on Skypiea.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**A few comments on Logia powers: Logia does not equal immortal, even though a lot of Logia users make the mistake of disagreeing. A Logia can flicker between an elemental form and a physical body, which allows them to absorb most attacks. However, there are still weaknesses. Only experienced Logia users can be truly 'invulnerable' to physical attacks, but even then there is still Seastone, Haki, and whatever elemental weaknesses they might have.**

** Vivi is still a novice with her abilities, and she loses control during the fight, and so she then starts taking damage.**

**Smoker's power simply isn't as powerful as Enel's. Enel saturated the air with electricity until even the smoke particles were vaporised. Smoker's elemental form was too badly damaged, leaving him vulnerable in his physical body.**

**Also, yes, Luffy got beat up again this chapter. Without his Devil fruit he is weaker than he was in canon, so he's forced to rely on brute stamina and determination in his battles. Still, he's learning a whole new fighting style from scratch, and he'll get there...**

**Next time: Night falls...**


	14. Chapter 14: At Night

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Own One Piece, I don't. I'm running out of different ways to say that.**

**Warning: lemons.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Luffy and his crew are lost and separated in Skypiea, and a war is brewing. Zoro surrenders to a group of Marines being led by Tashigi, Sanji and Usopp are saved from God's priest by Gan Fall, Nami and Vivi barely escape their own Ordeal, while Luffy and Robin begin searching for the others as night falls on Upper Yard...**_

* * *

**Chapter 14: At Night**

The sky was pitch-black, and so dark it was impossible to travel through the forest at night. A strange type of peace descended over Upper Yard; like the quiet before the storm, or perhaps the preparation before the war.

The forest had a restless feel to it, filled with unsettling noises of strange animals stalking through the trees. Even with the large fire blazing at the centre of the campsite, all the marines had their weapons readied. The mood was tense, and no one would be sleeping tonight.

"Are you sure these chains are thick enough?"Zoro asked doubtfully, shaking the heavy manacles fastened around his wrists. "You should probably get something bigger."

Across from the campfire and trying very hard not to listen to him, Tashigi couldn't stop the vein from bulging on her forehead. Every marine standing guard shot Zoro a hateful glance. Despite the situation, Zoro realised that he was actually starting to enjoy himself.

The bulky chains fastened around his wrists and ankles were fastened on to wooden posts in the ground, all the while four burly and irritated marines held their rifles firmly at Zoro's head. The swordsman was looking much too smug than any wanted criminal chained up and surrounded by armed men who hated his guts had any right to be.

Zoro looked pretty badly beaten. He wore a sleeveless blue shirt that was so shredded it revealed most of his muscular chest. His black trousers were tattered and ruined, and he had kicked off his remaining shoe to walk around barefoot. There were dozens of cuts and scratches over his body, and his hair was a shaggy mess of green. His three swords had been confiscated, and that had been the most protest he had made ever since his 'capture'. Still, he seemed completely at ease as he looked around the camp.

"Do you have anything bigger?" Zoro pressed, looking curiously at Tashigi. "How about you double them up?"

Tashigi's hand clenched so tightly that she half-expected to draw blood. Zoro had been talking non-stop ever since they captured him. She had never imagined that finally capturing the pirate would be this _annoying_.

The lieutenant looked fairly worn too. She wore a red short-sleeved shirt with pink dots, but she had to leave her blue leather coat behind due to the heat. Her clothes were still scorched after Enel's attack, but otherwise she had recovered well. Her normally smooth black hair was still slightly frizzy from the lightning, and she had lost her glasses in the jungle. Compared to the rest of the marines, however, she was still in the best shape.

"Will you be quiet?!" Tashigi snapped.

"Hey, if you're going to surrender you might as well do it properly," Zoro shrugged. "I still don't think these chains are strong enough to hold me."

The Marines were all weary and tired. At least a hundred men had been badly wounded when Enel destroyed their ship, while Captain Smoker had been left so weak he could barely move. Hina managed to take charge, but the marines been left scattered and stranded in hostile territory, with precious few supplies remains.

Hina and the majority of their forces stayed back at the main camp to look after the wounded, but several expedition parties had been sent out to search for supplies and aids. From the few reports that had filtered through, they were bleeding men. Many expedition parties hadn't been heard from at all.

There were about fifty marines in their camp, mostly survivors recovered from other parties, and Tashigi was the ranking officer. There were many injured and the casualties were mounting. Between the constant attacks and the dwindling supplies, morale was at an all-time low. The white uniforms were tattered and filthy.

One of the marines next to him shot Zoro a hateful glance. The marine was a large, beef man with a large red stain cutting across his chest. There were quite a few men in the camp with similar, rapidly bandaged injuries, courtesy of Zoro's blades.

"Can't we just kill him already?" The marine growled.

"No!" Tashigi ordered, a bit too quickly. Everyone was staring at her suspiciously. "We bring him to the captain, alive."

"He tried to kill the scouting party!" The marine protested, shifting his rifle closer to Zoro's head.

"If I had tried to kill you, you'd all be dead," Zoro scoffed dismissively. The marine's eyes bugled, and slammed his rifle butt across Zoro's skull. It was such a weak blow that swordsman barely noticed.

"Enough!" Tashigi snapped. "He surrendered! We do not hurt our prisoners."

The look the man shot Zoro was murderous. There were lots of other men with similar expressions.

"Oi, what's that for?" Zoro demanded, not at all embarrassed. "You attacked first, after all."

"No we didn't!" The man roared. "_You_ charged _us_!"

"Did I?" Zoro frowned, trying to remember. He shrugged dismissively. "Well, you would have attacked me first if I hadn't have attacked you."

"_That doesn't make sense_!"

The mood turned dangerous, and Zoro's attitude was doing nothing to help. Tashigi felt her stomach churn. Everyone in the expedition party was scared, and scared men tended to get violent. She had to do something.

"That is enough, sailor!" Tashigi shouted firmly, dropping into her officer's voice. It was a voice she had never been particularly good at, but Smoker had always used it effortlessly. Now, she tried her best to copy his. "Go maintain the perimeter!"

"But –"

"You have your orders!"

Unwillingly, the man stomped off, casting poisonous glances at Zoro and Tashigi as he left. If they had been on the ship, in Smoker's presence, he would never have dared such insubordination. Ever since rumours of the military tribunal had spread, Tashigi's command over her men was dubious to say the least. There were others around the campfire showing similar feelings, and Tashigi took no chances.

"You too!" Tashigi said firmly, pointing to the other men guarding Zoro. The swordsman was staying quiet for the first time all night. "The east perimeter is flimsy, go reinforce it."

"But the prisoner!" One of them protested weakly.

"I will handle the prisoner. _Move_." Tashigi's eyes left no room for argument. The marines scuttled away hesitantly.

For a while, the only sound was the crackling fire. The rest of the expedition party was scattered around the camp, but none so close that they could overhear Tashigi or Zoro. The lieutenant tried to remain focused, but she couldn't. She had been hunting the pirates for so long, but had never thought of what it would be like to actually capture them. To actually capture _him_. Now, her mind was churning with unwelcome thoughts, and she really wasn't comfortable with what she was feeling.

Perhaps Zoro recognised the change in mood. When he spoke again, his voice was a little less deliberately antagonising. "Well, they're a nice bunch," he muttered sarcastically, motioning to the marines stomping away into the darkness.

"Don't you dare judge them," Tashigi warned coldly. "We've been dealing with homicidal gods, raiders and vicious animals ever since we got here. We're stranded on an island in the sky and we've been taking casualties. They're all scared, and you never really made a good _first impression_."

For the first time, the swordsman looked slightly sheepish. "What did you expect? They're marines, and I'm a pirate."

Tashigi scoffed. "Oh, you don't have to remind _me_ of that."

There was an edge to her voice. Zoro squirmed uncomfortably. Tashigi frowned darkly.

"Why did you surrender?" Tashigi demanded finally.

Zoro shrugged. "I already decided that I'm not going fight you again," he admitted nonchalantly. "And I'm in no mood to run away. Might as well surrender."

Tashigi took a deep breath. "Smoker is going to execute you," she said coldly.

Zoro smirked, not breaking eye-contact. "I don't give a damn about Smoker," he muttered. "I care what about _you're_ going to do."

The lieutenant didn't react. She tried to tell herself that her heart didn't just jump. "You're insane," she growled. "You're a _pirate_. I don't know what fantasy you've constructed about me, but you're wrong."

"I think you're lying."

"Oh really?" Tashigi asked sarcastically. "_Why_? Why do you think that I even care about you?"

Zoro's smile widened. "_Because I'm still alive_."

Tashigi's retort jammed in her throat. Zoro was looking much too smug than any man in chains had any right to be.

"So what?" Tashigi replied finally, her tone confrontational. "I don't like killing my prisoners."

"Any what about back in Alabasta?" Zoro mused curiously. "You saved us all then."

The memory of her hands on Zoro's shoulders, pulling his limp body out of the sand flashed before her eyes. "That was a mistake," Tashigi replied instantly.

"I'm sure it was," Zoro replied derisively.

Tashigi's hand was on her sword. It took all the self-control she had not to unsheathe it. The vein in her head was bulging with frustration. "Is this your plan then?" Tashigi growled. "Get captured and '_flirt'_ with me in the hope I release you?"

Zoro shook his head. "No. Once Luffy finds out I'm captured, he'll come to free me. I trust my crew enough to save me, on the slim chance I can't escape by myself," Zoro explained simply. "And besides, I don't want to go anywhere right now. I figured that this was the only way I could actually get a chance to _talk_ to you."

Tashigi gripped her sword's handle so tightly her knuckles turned white. "_Nothing_ will ever happen between us," she promised.

Zoro shrugged. "Then maybe I'm making a mistake," he replied quietly. "But I've got to give it shot."

She shook her head slowly, but her heart was racing now. Tashigi was suddenly thankful that it was dark and he couldn't see how flushed her cheeks became. Around them, the marines were casting suspicious glances over at the campfire. Tashigi had to take a deep breath to calm the emotions swirling inside of her, and then she focused on the emotion that was the easiest to accept; anger.

"What do you think you're doing, saying crap like that?" Tashigi snarled, her voice louder than she intended. "I'm not some girl you can mess with!"

A vein in Zoro's forehead bulged. "What do you expect me to do?" He demanded. "I'm trying to be honest here, and your just making it difficult!"

"That's because what you're saying is impossible!" Tashigi screeched in a hushed voice. "I'm a marine, you're a pirate! It's _impossible_!"

Zoro looked like he was about to scream. His mouth opened a few times trying to reply, but only gargled sounds came out. Finally, he managed to speak. "I overheard those guys saying that you're being charged with treason," he said eventually. "Is that true?"

Tashigi finally drew her blade. Shigure slipped out of its sheathe with a sharp slicing sound. "Don't talk about my career," she warned.

"Fine, I won't," Zoro spat. "But no one in my crew has forgotten that you saved us all back in Alaburna. They're all good people and you would like them if you got to know them."

Zoro stared at her earnestly, his voice becoming hushed. Tashigi didn't dare respond. "Just know that you would have a place with _us_ if you want it."

The words hit a nerve, and Tashigi was trembling slightly. All of her doubts and fears recently surged to the surface, and then she had to clutch her sword to stop her hand from shaking. _He's a pirate_, Tashigi told herself firmly, but the words had lost their previous meaning.

"Chief petty officer!" Tashigi shouted suddenly at one of the nearby marines. A heavyset man quickly snapped to attention. "I'm done talking with the prisoner. Take him away."

"Yes ma'am!"

Zoro's eyes bulged. For the first time since he surrendered, he started resisting. The marines took tight hold of his chains and yanked sharply, but Zoro thrashed so much it took five men to heave him away. The swordsman was spluttering incoherently, staring at Tashigi while the marines dragged him roughly across the ground.

"_Goddammit_!" Zoro screamed with frustration. One of the marines kicked him roughly in the side with more force than necessary. Zoro didn't seem to care. "I'm _trying_ here! What more do you want from me?"

"Fasten him on to a tree or something!" Tashigi ordered, refusing to look at Zoro. "And _gag_ him!"

The marines grunted with acknowledgement, still trying to restrain Zoro. Even with his arms and legs chained, the swordsman was still somehow managing to fight against five men. Zoro was struggling and shouting right up to the moment one of the men jammed a dirty cloak into his mouth.

His last words sounded something like, "Last bloody time I take Nami's advice…"

A few minutes of frantic struggling later, and the swordsman was dragged out of the camp. From the darkness, the frenzied sounds of the marines trying to secure Zoro down were clearly visible. There was the sound of someone spitting into someone's face, followed by the unmistakable thud of right hook to the chin. Fifteen seconds later, the marines walked back into camp, saluting to Tashigi as they passed. Tashigi's heart never stopped fluttering.

After that, an uneasy silence dropped over the camp. Tashigi tried to sit comfortably, but ended up pacing around the campfire. After a few minutes of pacing, she went and inspected the perimeter. Twice. Then, Tashigi took an inventory of their supplies again. A few of her men were glancing at her curiously, but the lieutenant was too distracted to notice. She was biting her lip and frowning with frustration.

After half an hour, Tashigi finally dropped back down in front of the campfire. The sky was pitch black and there were birds chirping from the forest. A few of the marines were trying to get some sleep, but most were resigned to staying on guard all night. Tashigi's body was still shaking as she stared into the flickering campfire. Her hand never stopped clutching her sword.

She wished there was something to fight. It would be some much easier if she had something to fight. Tashigi _really_ wanted to punch something. At least then she wouldn't have to try to sort out her own feelings.

_That bastard_, she growled to herself angrily, _Who did he think he was, saying stuff like that to her? _Zoro was, without a doubt, the most irritating man she had ever met.

So why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

It was utterly impossible. She was a marine. She loved being a marine. Tashigi had wanted to be in the Marines ever since she was a child. She had fought tooth and nail to get where she was. The Marines was very much a male dominated organisation. In training camp, her instructors had tried to kick her out when they realised Tashigi was a woman. She had to work twice as hard as all of her colleagues just to keep up.

It had been a stroke of luck that Tashigi ended up under Smoker's command, one of the few captains who didn't care what gender she was. Tashigi was in the Grand Line, hunting down the Famed Blades faster than she could ever have hoped. She was living her dream – defending innocents and stopping bad guys.

Zoro had no idea what he was asking of her. If she became a pirate, she would be abandoning her dream.

Tashigi's stomach tightened with the thought. Slowly, Tashigi slung off her rucksack, and gingerly pulled out the three swords packed securely at the front. Wado Ichimonji, Yubashiri, and Sandai Kitetsu. A Great Grade Sword, a Skilful Grade Sword and a Grade Sword. Not long ago, Tashigi would have been over the moon to add these blades to her collection.

She stared at the white hilt of Wado Ichimonji for a long time, before carefully unsheathing it. The sword was magnificent. The hilt was flawless white with a circular hand-guard, understated and elegant, yet the blade was perfect. The straight edge was sharper and stronger than Tashigi could have imagined, and it was shiny that it practically glowed in the flickering light. Tashigi could have admired it for hours.

The other two swords were inferior to the Wado Ichimonji, but distinguished in their own right. Sandai Kitetsu was pitch-black and had an almost bloodthirsty aura. The edge was so sharp that Tashigi nearly cut herself just holding it. By contrast, Yubashiri was lightweight yet sturdy, a nice and reliable sword if Tashigi ever saw one. All three swords had been polished to perfection, their edges beautifully maintained.

_Say what you want about Roronoa Zoro_, Tashigi conceded, _but he knew how to look after a sword_.

The thought caused Tashigi's stomach to plummet. She stared at the three swords for a long time.

_There are good people and there are bad people_, Tashigi thought carefully, _I am a marine, he is a pirate_. It was her job to protect the good people, and stop the bad people. It was her dream to recover the swords from the bad people. That was what she had always believed.

Smoker would execute Zoro. In normal circumstances, her captain would want his prisoners to have a trial, but right now Smoker was focused on ensuring Tashigi survived the upcoming tribunal. Smoker would execute Zoro as a substitute for his captain, to prove to the tribunal that Tashigi was loyal to the Marines. As far as Smoker was concerned, if it was a choice between his lieutenant and a pirate, then that wasn't even a choice.

The thought made Tashigi sick. Good people and bad people. That was her code. Zoro was a pirate, but he wasn't a bad person. He didn't deserve to die.

She stared at Wado Ichimonji for a bit longer, and she knew what she had to do.

_This is a mistake_, Tashigi thought angrily, her eyes nearly filling up with tears. But if she didn't do this now, then she would be betraying her dream in a different way.

Slowly, she stood up and started to walk away from the campfire, keeping the three swords close to hand. She moved so quietly that few even noticed her leaving. Tashigi carefully crept through the darkness, quickly moving through the trees with barely a sound.

In the gloom, the outline of a figure chained to a huge tree trunk was barely visible. Zoro's shoulders slumped up against the bark. There was a marine standing guard, yet the man was so tired he was leaning on his rifle for support. Neither of them noticed Tashigi approach.

With a final twang of guilt, Tashigi moved behind the marine, and brought the hilt of her sword down roughly against his back with a dull thud of force. The man collapsed to the ground limply, with barely a sound. Tashigi already hated herself for what she was doing.

Zoro jumped up and stared at her with shock. He opened his mouth to speak, but there was nothing that the lieutenant wanted to hear.

"Shut up!" Tashigi hissed angrily, keeping her voice low. Her voice was vicious. Some self-preservation instinct triggered in the swordsman and his mouth slammed shut. "You are not going to say a _word_, do you understand?"

Zoro's eyes were wide open with shock. Tashigi looked pissed. As it difficult as it was when he was chained to a tree, Zoro was still trying to cover his crotch protectively. Zoro nodded cautiously.

Tashigi drew her sword, and with a fluid wave all the chains dropped to the ground with a dull thunk. Zoro rubbed the broken manacles across his wrists, and staring at Tashigi nervously.

"Take _these_!" She snapped, shoving his three swords into his hands. "Go in _that_ direction! Stay quiet!" Her eyes were blazing angrily as she pointed away from the camp. "And don't you _dare_ hurt any of my men on the way out!"

He opened his mouth to speak. Tashigi glared at him warningly. "Smoker _will_ kill you if he captures you," Tashigi threatened. "_Stay away from the Marines_, do you understand?"

Zoro tried to say something, yet Tashigi never cared to hear it. She already hated what she was doing, and she really never wanted to talk about it. "_Not a word_!"

Zoro nodded meekly, not quite sure what was going on, but Tashigi clearly wasn't taking questions. "Move!" Tashigi ordered in a hushed voice. "Now!"

He nodded and carefully started to scuttle away, staring at Tashigi like she was a strange and weird animal that might kill him at any moment. Tashigi looked down at the unconscious marine, checking that he was alright. He would probably be out for a while, enough time for Tashigi to sneak back into camp. If she was lucky, enough time would pass before Zoro was discovered missing that no one would suspect her.

Tashigi had to take deep, calming breaths, trying not to imagine what Smoker would say if he found out what she did. _I'm doing the right thing_, Tashigi thought repeatedly yet without conviction, _he doesn't deserve to die_. Her captain had stuck by her through thick and thin, yet letting a pirate escape was open treason. She was betraying the closest friend she had. It was enough to make Tashigi feel dizzy. _This is a mistake_, she thought again with frustration.

Zoro had nearly vanished in the darkness. Tashigi never knew what she was doing, but she was already working on impulse. "Wait!" She shouted quickly.

He stopped and turned. Tashigi felt her heart pounding. Suddenly, she realised how much of his broad, washboard abs were visible through his tattered shirt. Her willpower collapsed.

_If I'm going to make a mistake, I might as well make it a big one…_

She never knew what she was doing. She hardly even realised she was doing it. It seemed like the next second Tashigi was approaching Zoro, wrapping her hand around his head and pulling him down to her. Her heart pounded furiously, but as soon as their lips touched, Tashigi felt it skip a beat.

Zoro gasped with shock, but then Tashigi was on him and he couldn't even breathe. He only just managed to wonder what was happening, and then the realisation hit him and his mind went completely blank. Instinctively, his mouth dropped open and he started to kiss her back, feeling her tongue against his.

Her lips were soft yet firm. It was awkward and clumsy, but their hearts were pounding so quickly they neither of them noticed. Slowly, Tashigi moved her hands up his torso, tracing out every muscle over his stomach as she moved upwards. Her hands hovered over his scar gingerly, before wrapping around her arms his shoulders tightly.

Zoro could feel every sensation. His lungs were burning for air yet he didn't dare break the kiss. The tempo increased, and Zoro's hands seemed to move by themselves. They went to her hips and wrapped around, pulling her body into his and gently leaning Tashigi backwards. He could feel her torso against his, her soft breasts pressing on to his chest. It would have blown his mind, but Zoro had no idea where he lost it.

Tashigi raised her leg until it wrapped around his. Zoro's hands caressed her back, and a quiet moan erupted from her throat. That did it. Suddenly, everything came crashing back down to him, and Zoro's hands turned stiff as he realised just how close they really were.

Tashigi let go first, shoving Zoro backwards as she struggled to stand up straight. She was gasping for air, staring at Zoro with wide-eyes. Zoro just stared back at her incredulously, her taste still overpowering his every sense. He was blinking repeatedly, and his mouth hung open dumbly, not quite sure what else to do with it.

Her arms were trembling. Tashigi had to force herself to pretend not to notice the bulge in his trousers.

Zoro's mouth was flapping helplessly. He was trying to say something, but he had to pick his wits up off the ground first. Tashigi held up a hand, shaking her head.

"_No_," she gasped warningly. "Not. A. Word."

Tashigi didn't trust him not to ruin the moment and something stupid. She didn't think she could take it. With a nervous gulp, the swordsman nodded dumbly.

The seconds dripped on silently. Nobody moved. Part of Tashigi wanted to punch him. Another part wanted to rip of his clothes. Another part _really_ wanted to do both. After what seemed like a lifetime, it was the sound of a nearby patrol that shook them out of their paralysis.

"Go," Tashigi panted breathlessly. "_Now_."

Zoro nodded again. He still wasn't blinking naturally. Awkwardly, the swordsman turned around and started to walk away. For once, he walked in a completely straight line.

Tashigi watched him leave, before trying to head back to the camp. She managed three steps before tripped and collapsed to her knees. Her breaths were shallow, and she tried desperately to ignore the burning heat between her legs. Tashigi suddenly wished she had brought a change of underwear.

It took several deep gasps before she was able to walk properly again. Slowly and hesitantly, Tashigi wobbled back into camp.

About thirty seconds later, comprehension of what he just did dawned on Zoro. The smile grew across the swordsman's face, until it was a mad grin that stretched from ear to ear. He could still taste Tashigi on his lips and in his mouth. For the life of him, he couldn't describe the taste, but it was beautiful. He was practically skipping away.

It was almost half an hour later until he realised what he was missing.

"Wait a minute…" Zoro muttered slowly, staring around at the pitch-black forest of dark trees. "Where the hell am I?"

There was chirping from the trees, and the surrounding darkness seemed to squirm.

"_Dammit_!"

* * *

"Nami!" The desperate sobs split through the night. "Vivi! Robin!"

"Will shut you up already?" Usopp groaned, trembling as he felt the eyes of the unseen predators latch on to his from the trees. The night was not a comforting time to be trapped out in the wilderness. Next to Usopp, Carue and Pierre were shivering together, their wings flapping as the two birds tried to hide behind each other. A strange but instant friendship had formed between the giant duck and the pink nearly-Pegasus.

"But there are beautiful women lost out in the dark somewhere!" Sanji screamed, pacing as fast as his injuries would allow, his eyes glowing. "They must be cold and shivering and huddling together, waiting for a heroic knight to come and save them…!"

A perverted look settled on his face for a while. His mouth drooled. "_Nami_!" The chef shouted again, his voice rising in volume. "_Vivi_! _Robin_!"

Sitting cross-legged and as still as a statue, Gan Fall looked at Sanji with vague amusement. "I fear your friend may be suffering some sort of hysteria from his injuries."

Usopp shook his head. "No," he muttered, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "He's been suffering from this long before any injuries…"

Sanji didn't seem to hear him. The chef was rapidly climbing up a large tree, searching for any sign of a beautiful woman. The dark forest hid everything. Sanji was practically sobbing with anguish.

"Your long-nosed friend is right," Gan Fall said calmly. "It is dangerous to attract attention in this place. Upper Yard is not a safe place, especially not now."

"But what about the girls?" Sanji sobbed pleadingly. "Who knows what they've been through? Who knows who they might reward the man who comes to their rescue…"

"We will search for your friends in the morning," Gan Fall promised, deliberately ignoring the last part of Sanji's statement. "But it is too perilous to search in the dark."

Sanji groaned in disappointment. Usopp looked at Gan Fall with worry. "Everyone else must have been through an Ordeal too, right?"

"Yes," Gan Fall nodded darkly. "And I will not lie to you about their chances of survival. Still, there is always hope."

"Luffy won't get beaten!" Usopp proclaimed definitely. "No one could beat our captain!"

The old knight's eyes narrowed. "Indeed."

Dropping miserably from the tree, Sanji lit a cigarette to calm himself down. "Say, why did you rescue us from that weird priest guy, anyways?" The chef asked curiously.

Gan Fall shifted uncomfortably. "I came here to try to rescue my imprisoned companions," he admitted. "But I have wanted to interrupt the Ordeals for years now. What Enel and his goons do to visitors is barbaric. It is a disgrace that it has gone on for so long."

"That fat priest guy was really strong," Usopp muttered. "Are there are others like him?"

The knight nodded. "Yes, all four of the priests are adept in Mantra," he explained. "As well as Enel, who has utter mastery over it. He also has his Enforcers, and many devotees. They are force not to be underestimated."

Sanji groaned loudly, looking longingly into the darkness. "And the girls are still out there!"

Usopp's expression was uncharacteristically dark. Both he and Sanji were heavily bandaged from their fight with Satori. "That guy beat us so easily…" The sniper muttered coldly under his breath.

"You did better than most," Gan Fall reassured. "Inhabitants from the Blue Sea are at a severe disadvantage in sky combat. You did well to last as long as you did."

Usopp didn't respond. Sanji looked at the old knight with confusion. "Wait – you're from Skypiea?" The chef wondered, staring at the armoured old man. "Then where are your wings?"

"Oh, I had them removed years ago," Gan Fall chuckled, rubbing his shoulder blades instinctively. "Our wings are evolutionary leftovers from long ago, and not very useful," he explained to Sanji's confused expression. "They have very few nerve endings in them, so it is mostly painless, and they tend to get in the way when wearing armour. It wasn't much of a loss."

"Huh, that's so weird," Sanji muttered.

He looked at them understandingly. "Yes, I suppose it would seem strange to you. You must have many questions, and I will try my best to answer them."

"Ok," Sanji took a deep breath of his cigarette. "Then what the hell is up with the island."

Gan Fall grunted. "In the Blue Sea, soil must be such a mundane commodity," he mused, his fingers scraping at the ground. "But in the sky, this is a Holy Land. This is _Vearth_," he proclaimed, sprinkling a handful of dirt around him idly. "It is precious to us, and right now there is a war for it."

The Knight of the Sky looked at them seriously. "Upper Yard is not a safe place to be," he warned. "Enel and his followers keep this ground from themselves, and Enel is mad enough to kill anyone who dares to challenge him. The Shandorians have launched an attack to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs, and I hear that a large force of Blue Sea inhabitants have also landed. Upper Yard is preparing for war, and you should leave as soon as possible lest you get dragged into it."

"We're not leaving without our crew," Usopp proclaimed. "And Luffy would never leave without us."

Gan Fall didn't respond. Sanji scratched his chin thoughtfully. "And what are _you_ doing here?" He asked the old knight.

The old man's wrinkled face was more solemn than ever. "I am here to save lives," he muttered. "However many I am capable of saving…"

His hand touched his large backpack protectively. Usopp stared at him suspiciously. The backpack was as large as a man, and bulging dangerously.

"What's in that bag?" Usopp asked curiously.

For half a second, Gan Fall seemed like a frail old man. "I pray that you never have to find out," he muttered under his breath.

Sanji finally sat down, and pondered the situation for a while. "If this place is so dangerous, are you sure it's alright to be out here so exposed?" He asked, pointing to flickering fire. Gan Fall had covered the campfire with a shroud to hide its light, but it was still blindingly bright in the darkness.

"Hopefully," Gan Fall admitted. "But it is impossible to navigate Upper Yard in the dark. The other forces should have settled for the night as well. In the morning, however, we will have to move fast. For now, the fire should help keep the predators away."

The knight hesitated. "That said, there are some predators that are not so easily frightened. I felt the ground rumble earlier in the day, and that could only mean that the Master of the Sky has awoken."

Usopp looked scared. Even Carue started to huddle up to Pierre a bit more. "The Master of the Sky?"

"The great snake," Gan Fall explained dryly. "The largest creature in the clouds. It is so big that it tends to hibernate for years at a time, but now that it has awoken we can expect weeks of rampage. I hear that even the priests flee from the beast."

As if Usopp needed any more reason to be scared. With a frightened yelp, the sniper scuttled away to huddle alongside Carue and Pierre. Sanji flickered his cigarette on to the fire with frustration.

"The girls must be so scared!" He groaned. "Why are we waiting around here when there are beautiful women in danger!?"

"Tomorrow morning," Gan Fall murmured, staring into the fire. "There's nothing we can do for them until first light."

Sanji sagged and nearly collapsed. Gan Fall was quiet for a long time, before seeming to reach a decision. He looked at both of them cautiously.

"I'm curious about something," he said quietly. "Please, tell me more about this captain of yours."

* * *

The night was cold and vicious. Dark eyes stalked the girls, from the shadows but the girls were both too exhausted to run for any longer. It was so dark they had to hold on to each to avoid stumbling with every stop. Eventually, Nami and Vivi stopped to take shelter in the roots of a large twisting tree, while around them the beasts of Upper Yard stalked the night.

For a long time, neither of them moved. They had been running too hard and too long, and they both just wanted to collapse. Then, Nami realised how severely Vivi was clutching her injured side, and the navigator wordlessly proceeded to rip up what was left of her shirt to make a bandage. Vivi winced with pain as the cloth wrapped around the wound. Her Logia abilities did nothing to help against injuries she already had, and Vivi had lost so much blood that everything was starting to blur.

"Thanks," Vivi whispered eventually. It was a pretty poor bandage, but it was the best they had. They were cold, hungry and scared. They had run long and hard away from the priest and the raiders, but there were too many creatures in the forest that could take advantage of their weakened state. There was a low hiss in the distance that sent shivers done their spines.

Quietly, Nami held out her hand to Vivi. The princess ignored the hand and hugged Nami tightly. With a nervous sob, Nami hugged her back. For a long time, they both held each other closely, trying to fight back the fears.

It took nearly half an hour before their beating hearts began to calm. Everything was slightly less scary when they were with each other.

"Thank you for saving my life," Nami muttered finally.

Vivi just tightened her grip. "Of course not!" She hissed quietly. "I mean, you never have to thank me for that. You're my best friend."

There was a moment's silence. The image of flashing white sword lashing towards her flashed in front was still burnt between into her head. Nami knew fine well how close she had come to death in that fight. Nami's eyes stared to fill with tears. "But I'm sorry I've been so distant with you lately… I really don't want to anything to come between us…!"

Vivi was crying too now. "It's not your fault," the princess admitted, stuttering between gasps of tears. "It's me… I…"

Her body shivered slightly. The princess must have known the truth for a while, but it was so hard to accept and even harder to say out loud. Vivi's voice turned so quiet it was nearly inaudible, "I think I'm in love with Luffy…"

Nami didn't noticeably react. It took her a long time to think of anything to say at all. "Oh," she muttered dumbly.

* * *

The night was dark and silent, but around the campfire it was warm and cosy. Robin slowly leant back on her makeshift seat on top of an old log, crossing her long legs as she stared at Luffy with amusement.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Luffy asked with concern, still struggling to keep the fire going. The flames were flickering weakly, no matter how much wood Luffy dropped on to the flames.

"I'm fine, Mr Captain," Robin replied politely, trying to hide her smile. The dark haired woman said with perfect posture even on the dirty ground, massaging her bruised wrists slightly while the fire crackled.

Luffy nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry, I really wish Chopper was here. He would know how to help you."

"I'm sure I can manage."

Luffy jumped with realisation "Oh!" He exclaimed, pulling a large bundle out from the hem of his shorts. "That's right! I picked these vines up, I thought we could use them as bandages."

Robin glanced at the pile of greenery that Luffy held out eagerly. "That's poison ivy," she said softly. "It will cause severe rashes after a half an hour."

The look of dumb realisation over Luffy's face was priceless. "Oh," the captain muttered dumbly, scratching at his own makeshift bandages around his shoulder and arm. "Hold on a moment."

Robin couldn't stop the giggle as Luffy quickly rushed into the forest to the nearby stream. There was a breath of relief as bandages were torn off, followed by a shrill scream. After a few minutes, Luffy walked back into view, sweating a bit more. His wounds looked even rawer.

"Is everything alright?" Robin asked sweetly.

Luffy just grinned. "It's fine," he replied happily. The flames were starting to flicker, so Luffy rushed to shove another bundle of twigs onto the fire. The flames were nearly suffocated under the wood, yet then Luffy screamed as the fire almost burst its boundaries.

"Do you need a hand?" Robin offered kindly.

"I'm ok!" Luffy shouted, stamping on the flames to stop the whole foliage from catching light. "You just rest!"

Ever since Robin winced when she moved her hands, Luffy had been concerned about her. Both her wrists were bruised black from the fight, and almost being dragged along while fleeing from a giant python hadn't helped either. Luffy had been instantly worried, and had insisted that he could handle everything himself while Robin just recovered.

It was ridiculous in a way. After all, Luffy was much more severely injured than she was. It had taken Robin a while to release that Luffy quite simply considered her own wellbeing more important than his own. The thought to do otherwise never even occurred to him. When Robin had suggested that he might need medical attention more, Luffy had been genuinely confused.

In truth, her wrists weren't that bad. The muscles hurt and they would be sore for a while, but Robin was tough enough to work through it. _I should really insist on helping him_, Robin mused quietly.

That said; the sight Luffy trying to play a nurse was too cute to resist. Robin was content just sitting down and watching him try to look after her.

Also, Luffy was still shirtless, and his muscles flexed beautifully in the firelight. That was always a bonus.

"Are you sure you're not in pain, Robin?" Luffy asked worriedly. He was a bit helpless when it came to looking after someone else, bless him.

"Oh, I'm absolutely fine, Mr Captain," Robin said with satisfaction, leaning back and taking a sip out of her canteen.

It took a while for Luffy to get the fire going. By that time, the campfire was an inferno so furious that he even had to pull some of the firewood out it, and then he had to roll across the ground as his shorts caught light.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want any help, Mr Captain?" Robin teased gently.

"I've got it!" Luffy screamed, throwing dirt over the flames on his short. A filthy and slightly singed Luffy sighed as the campfire finally started to settle.

There was movement from bushes. Luffy was instantly alert and dived into the darkness. There was a dull thud, and then Luffy came stomping back out.

"I thought that huge snake found us again," he explained apologetically, dragging the body of a large boar out behind him. "But I've got something to eat!"

Luffy trying to cook was one of the most humorous things Robin had seen in years. Normally, Luffy ate so ferociously that actually cooking it first was almost optional. Since Robin was with him, the captain seemed to be trying to do it properly. The archaeologist watched him trying to figure out which way to skin the animal for nearly fifteen minutes, until finally she couldn't take it anymore.

Gently, Robin crawled up next to him, and held his hand. "Please," she said softly. "I want to help."

Luffy looked like he was about to protest for a second, but a stern look from Robin caused him to stay silent. Robin took the knife off him, and carefully showed him how to cut the boar. Luffy looked almost embarrassed, but Robin was careful not to tease him about it.

"Could you help me with this?" Robin asked sympathetically, and Luffy pushed over next to her. She took his hand softly. Robin made a point of demonstrating how to cook the meat, all the while pretending that she was the one needing help. Somehow, she doubted that even Luffy was fooled, but he appeared to appreciate the effort.

After a while, Luffy was cooking the boar nicely, and Robin took the opportunity to tidy up the mess he made of the fire. Very few words were spoken, but a comfortable silence fell over the pair.

As the meat started to brown, Luffy left to fill up their canteens with water. When he returned, he was carrying sploshing canteens over his back, and his pockets were overfilled with purple berries.

"Robin!" Luffy said happily. "I found all these berries by the river! Are they alright?"

Robin stayed quiet for a moment. Luffy's face drooped slightly.

"Um… they're not poisonous or anything, are they?" He asked hesitantly. His mouth was stained purple slightly.

Robin just didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. "No, Luffy," Robin lied softly. "They're absolutely fine."

He grinned brightly. From what Robin had seen of Luffy's metabolism, she doubted it would give him much more than a sore stomach. A few minutes later, Robin 'accidently' dropped the berries into the fire. Luffy seemed to take the hint and not offer to pick anymore, and then he took a very large gulp of water to wash down the ones he'd already eaten. Robin could barely restrain the giggle as the unspoken agreement passed between them.

It took the better part of an hour before the meat was ready to eat. Despite Luffy's best efforts (or perhaps because of them), the meat was still crispy along the edges and undercooked in the centre. Large portions of the animal had been too burned to salvage. It was rough and chewy, and they had to eat with their fingers off a stone around the campfire.

Still, Robin would choose this meal over whatever five-star cuisine Sanji prepared every single time.

Luffy was grinning happily as they ate. After the meal, he pulled away enough of firewood until the campfire was smouldering lowly, and Robin took the opportunity to dress his wounds. The cuts on his shoulder was oozing slightly, but otherwise healing nicely, while the burns across his arm looked nasty. Robin was far from a doctor, but she had learnt enough about first aid over the years.

Luffy sat cross-legged on the ground, while Robin lent over him and tried to dress his shoulder with what little she had. They were both quiet for a while, while Robin was acutely aware how close they were sitting. His bare chest pressed into her side, but neither of them said a word.

"Thank you, Robin," Luffy whispered quietly into her ear. Robin felt her heart kick, and she had to brush her hair behind her eyes to cover her faint blush. Her hands brushed across Luffy's rough skin more than was strictly necessary.

_What am I doing?_ Robin kicked herself quietly. It was just the atmosphere and the campfire. She liked Luffy as a friend and enjoyed his company, but there were too many reasons why it would never work between them.

Robin pulled herself away and went back to sit in her seat. Neither of them said a word. After a while, Luffy closed his eyes and snoozed off to sleep in front of the flames.

She couldn't get to sleep. Luffy made her feel at ease, but the habits developed after so many years on the run weren't so easily broken. Robin could never fall asleep in such a strange environment so easily. Instead, she carefully lounged out on the ground, and pulled out a small notepad as she inspected the broken ruins near their camp.

The ruins were buried among the roots and nearly hidden. The stone was old and worn, but there were barely visible inscriptions carved into the side. The language was ancient and archaic, but it bared a certain similarity to ones that Robin had studied in her youth. Expertly, Robin sketched out the inscriptions, and then proceeded to try and decipher it like a crossword.

Her slender legs hung in the air as she lay on her back, focused completely on writings. The hours past and the night become more subdued, while the fire faded slowly. At that point, she never even needed the glimmering light anymore. She could see the language in her mind as she twisted the letters around, trying to fill in the gaps.

Robin was so distracted that she barely even heard Luffy stir later in the night.

"Robin?" Luffy asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing?"

The archaeologist glanced over to Luffy, who was staring at her curiously. "I'm trying to decipher this inscription," she explained, holding up the notepad.

"Huh," Luffy frowned, his eyes squinting as he stared at the mess of scribbles with confusion. "You can read that?"

"Not easily," Robin admitted. "Most of the writing is too faded to read. I think the ruins must be at least four hundred years old, but it's hard to tell since the sky preserves everything differently. The inscription itself is a strange language too, but it definitely has roots in Formative Years, perhaps even the Void Century. Some of the figures remind me of the Poneglyth alphabet, but it is cruder than that. I think it's more like hieroglyphics than any romance language."

Luffy was quiet proud of himself for keeping the confusion of his face. "Right," he nodded in fake understanding. "So what does it say?"

Robin looked at him curiously. "Most of its jumbled," she explained. "I'm only reading a small section of larger ruin. I can make out bits about the ancestors, and Tree of Spirits. There are references to gods and sacrifice, but the most interesting bit is this line here." She gently traced out a line in the faded stone. "I'm pretty sure that it mentions a City of Gold and a Golden Bell…"

Luffy didn't respond straight away. Then, he pulled himself up and quietly crawled next to her. "Show me," he said, sitting cross-legged in front of the ruins.

Robin's surprise must have shown on her face. "I like reading with you," Luffy explained with a shrug.

"It's pretty boring," Robin warned quietly.

Luffy just shrugged again. "It's never boring when I'm with you."

She didn't respond for a while. Instead, she just stared at Luffy, a thoughtful gaze in her eyes. She rubbed her chin curiously, while Luffy shifted awkwardly.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked finally.

"No," Robin shook her head with a peculiar smile. "Definitely not."

She turned back to the ruins. After a few seconds, Robin rolled her shoulders casually, yawned, and then slowly pulled her cream shirt off over her head. She was wearing a black bra that held up smooth and voluptuous breasts, and her body was well-toned and slender. She was naturally long and thin, and that had never been more obvious as she stretched out, catlike.

Robin dropped her shirt on the ground, and focused completely on the stone ruins, deliberately not glancing at Luffy. The captain looked confused and unsure what was happening, but Robin didn't seem to notice.

"Is everything ok?" Luffy asked eventually.

"Oh, I'm fine," Robin replied, innocently. "I was just feeling a bit warm."

He nodded, and turned away. Robin pretended to focus on her notepad, but all the while she looked at Luffy through the corner of her eye, curious as to how he would react. Robin had slept in the same bed as him, and Luffy never made an inappropriate mouth. Luffy was fidgeting awkwardly. The seconds ticked by as Robin continued to reread through her notepad.

And then a sly smile crept over her face as she caught Luffy's not-so-subtle glance towards her breasts.

_I'm being silly_, Robin thought quietly, _this is foolish_. Robin had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She shouldn't be acting like this. It would _never_ work between them. He was a teenager, and she was eleven years older than him. They were two completely different people. Perhaps it was just the thin atmosphere in the sky causing her to feel slightly lightheaded.

_Yes_, Robin mused soberly, _it was impossible_. She was one of the world's most wanted criminals. There were entire secret organisations chasing after her, as she was the only one who could unlock the Ancient Weapons. It had been a pleasant journey, but it would have to end sooner or later. She would have to leave them.

It was a shame, but inevitable. Luffy was one of the few people who could put her completely and totally at ease. She trusted Luffy, and that was a very rare thing for Robin. _Still, he's far too innocent for me_, Robin realised. The more attached she became, the harder it would be when everything fell apart, and it undoubtedly would. If there was anything that she had learnt over the last twenty years, it was that anything good turned sour around her.

Her breathing was shallow from the sobering memories. Her shoulders drooped slightly. _Not to even mention the two other girls in the crew_, Robin pondered. Nami and Vivi were both much more appropriate than Robin, and not just in age. Robin never had a proper childhood, but Luffy made simply made her feel like a teenager again. _This is a schoolgirl's crush, nothing more_, Robin decided.

Luffy gently placed his hand on her shoulder, sensing something was troubling her. The night was quieter than it had ever been. "Are you sure you're ok, Robin?" He asked gently, the concern visible in his innocent brown eyes.

Robin took a deep breath. She nodded quietly. _Yes_, she thought firmly, _it would never work between us. There are simply too many obstacles in the way_.

_Far too many obstacles in the way._

_Yep, it could never work. _Every rational thought she had told her it was a bad idea.

…

_Oh, fuck it_.

Suddenly, Robin was feeling light-headed. Her body felt strangely calm and distant as she took Luffy's hand softly, gripping his fingers while Robin carefully pulled herself into his personal space. They were sitting face to face, and with her other hand Robin wrapped it around Luffy's shoulders, slowly caressing his cheek.

Luffy's eyes bulged with shock. "Robin…" He stammered hesitantly. "What are you doing?"

She smiled mysteriously, her eyes glinting slightly. "Luffy, do you trust me?"

He paused for a second, before nodding firmly. "Yes."

Robin moved in closer, wrapping her arms around him until her cheek was pressing against his. She could feel his breath on her neck as she slowly whispered into his ear, "_Then trust me_."

Luffy saw the look in her eyes, and instinctively stopped talking. From that moment, there was nothing either of them wanted to say.

At that point, Robin was done thinking. The night was dark and the fire was burning low. Robin wanted to do something young and stupid.

Her lips kissed his cheek first, before sliding over and hitting his lips. She could feel his sharp intake of breath, but after a couple of seconds Luffy started to kiss her back. His tongue was clumsy and awkward, and his lips were wet, sloppy and nervous.

Robin just grinned, pulling back to bite his bottom lip playfully. Luffy looked like he was having trouble breathing, but Robin's movements were smooth and composed. Her hands gently roamed down his back, gliding across his body until she was caressing his muscled chest. His arms were stuck to his side, twitching slightly but unsure what to do. She pulled her whole body in even closer, so close she was practically sitting on his lap. Robin could feel Luffy's heart pounding away, thumping so furiously she half wondered if he was about to have a heart attack.

Slowly and caringly, Robin moved in for a second kiss. Luffy gulped slightly and tried to kiss her back. It felt like he was trying to lick the inside of her mouth.

Robin had to break the embrace to giggle helplessly. "You really have no idea what you're doing here, do you?" She teased, still stroking his shoulders lightly.

Luffy shook his head. "No," he admitted, but, for the first time in his life, he really, really, _really_ wanted to learn.

Robin could feel how much he wanted to learn from the bulge in his shorts.

She moved in so close that their noses were barely touching, and they were staying into each other's eyes. Then, Robin closed her eyes. "Let me show you," she whispered gently, her hands either side of Luffy's face. Her lips were slow and calm, carefully pressing against his and pushing forward. It wasn't long before he got into the rhythm of it, and she could feel his heartbeat begin to slow.

"Use your hands," Robin whispered gently. Luffy's arms were stuck to his side, like a child not sure where to put them.

Luffy twitched but hesitated. "Where?" He asked nervously.

"I don't know," Robin smiled mischievously, pressing her chest even closer against his. "Where do you _want_ to put them?"

Anxiously, his hands hovered around her hips. Robin took his hands in hers and slowly dragged them across her body, around her stomach and up towards her chest. She pressed his palms against her sternum so he could feel her racing heart. Luffy stared at her with awe, and swept his fingers downwards until they rested on the side of her boobs. Robin's smile widened, and the sequence of kisses resumed, faster and more passionately than ever.

The desire was overflowing from her body. She could feel every twitch he made, and the sensations burned through her. Her hands drifted over his body, feeling the muscled strength of his torso, and the across the ridges of his firm abs. She paused briefly on the waistline of shorts.

The kissing continued fervently. They were struggling for breath but neither of them dared to stop. Robin had other lovers over the years. Once or twice, she had even thought she'd been in love. Now, all those thoughts were blown away as Luffy caressed her body. It had been years since anyone had touched her so intimately, and even longer since she had felt so utterly at ease with it. She had forgotten how much she could enjoy it. She had forgotten how much she needed it.

A pleasured moan broke through her lips as Luffy massaged her breasts through the bra, and pushed his mouth forward to increase the tempo. Their foreheads knocked together and Robin nearly fell backwards, but she didn't care. His lips were fixed onto hers, his arms tightly around her body.

_Gods_, she thought dumbly, _he's fast learner_.

Finally, they parted, panting deeply and staring at each other. Luffy had an expression of pure awe on his face as he stared at her like she was a goddess. That served only to feed the hungry shine in Robin's eyes. She hadn't planned on going so far. She hadn't planned anything. Now, she felt the burning heat from her crotch, and realised that she couldn't stop even if she wanted too.

She pulled herself up until she was kneeling over Luffy, gently kissing his forehead. Robin lifted her leg across his legs as she straddled his lap, while Luffy was left sitting down with his face buried in her chest, his hands on her smooth torso.

"Take off my bra," Robin whispered in his ear, her voice quiet but soaked with desire.

Luffy nodded and wrapped his hands around her back, frantically playing with the clasp with clumsy fingers. His face was buried into her bra as he tried to unfasten it with obvious difficulty.

"It's easy," Robin whispered, twisting her arms behind her back. There was a small click as nimble fingers unfastened the hook. "Just like that."

Luffy's gulped as he stared at pale, porcelain skin of Robin's nude chest. His mind was reeling with shock, amazement and pleasure as he felt the warmth of her breasts, feeling the texture, the firmness and the softness. Robin's breathing grew even heavier now, and something inside him pushed him forward, losing all hesitation.

Robin gasped with pleasure as he gave both mounds a soft squeeze, feeling the swollen nipples in the palm of his hands. Her eyes were closed as he ran his fingers across her, kissing wildly upwards from bellybutton to her collarbone. Her body reverberated with low moans of desire. She was burning hot to the touch.

She was astride him, and Luffy had to strain upwards just to reach her with his mouth. With a light touch, Robin pushed him backwards to the dirty ground and lowered her body until she lying on top of him. Robin started at his mouth, moving down his neck and across his collarbone with a stream of wanton kisses. Her mouth caressed his abs, her tongue licking playfully across over his chest, as she worked downwards.

_I'm Luffy's first_, she realised slowly. It was hard to even think properly between the surges of pleasure shivering up her body. The thought caused her to smile as she pushed onwards. Her groping hands reached the hemline, dexterously flicking the button of his cotton shorts as she unfastened his zip. She wanted his first time to be a good one.

Luffy tried to stir. The pressure in his pants felt like it was about to explode, and it almost did as Robin pulled his shorts downwards. "Robin, what are you doing?!"

"I told you to trust me," she chided softly, reaching downwards until her hand wrapped lightly around his swollen member. Luffy could only whimper weakly, but she moved with a steady determination. Her face was flushed red. Her whole body was sweaty despite the cold air. "I promise you'll enjoy it…"

The last thing he saw was Robin's mouth opening around his tip, swallowing as much of his span as possible.

Luffy's mind went blank. His fingers clawed at the dirty ground. The sensation was indescribable, but even that faded as the feel of her wet tongue around his shaft. The hot, cramped wetness of her mouth around him sent shivers down his spine. His back arched as Robin pushed her head further down, his mouth gasping uselessly.

Her lips were flushed against his skin. A flash of discomfort passed across Robin's face, but she never stopped.

"What's hap–?" He gasped, but all questions faded from mind once Robin started to move; back and forth with steady determination. He could feel her throat and tongue tighten around him, and the ecstasy burnt through him, increasing in pace. Luffy couldn't even think anymore. Her mouth was an airtight seal. The sloppy sound should have been vulgar, but Luffy was in no mood to care. He laid with his head stretched back, gasping for air between deep groans.

He held on for as long as he could, but the heat in his crotch burned hotter than he could have ever imagined. The sensation was intolerable. His whole body tensed and a shrill scream burst from his lips. His body exploded like a cannon, followed by a wave of pure bliss scorching through his body.

Robin was caught off-guard, but recovered quickly. She pulled herself away, but his climax sprayed across down her chest and shoulders. She coughed and spat out his essence on to the ground, wiping the mess from her lips.

"I'm so sorry, Robin!" Luffy apologised frantically, still struggling to contain the sensations racing through his body. He pulled himself up awkwardly. "I didn't mean to –"

He was interrupted by a gentle kiss as Robin lay down next to him. Her lips tasted strangely salty, and it took a few seconds before he realised that it must have come from himself. Robin's firm breasts pressed warmly up against his chest.

"It's fine," she smiled warmly. "I went too fast for your first time. I said you'd enjoy though, didn't I?"

His arm wrapped around her shoulders, while hers dangled over his shoulders. He looked at her with near reverence, but his mind was whirling trying to process everything that was happening. "Robin… What… Why…?" He gasped weakly, struggling to form the words while his body rebelled against his control.

She simply put a finger over his lips. They were both hot and sweaty, and filthy from rolling around the dirty ground. They couldn't even feel the pain from their injuries over their bodies screaming in bliss. Her hair was a mess, but in the low flickering light Luffy realised that he had never seen her look so beautiful.

He was lying on his back, completely naked. She was on her side, bare-chested but still wearing her trousers. Her breasts were shamelessly exposed. In the darkness of the forest, there was no one else around. Somehow, neither of them were the least bit concerned about being so exposed.

"Take off my pants," Robin said in a sultry whisper. Luffy's heart skipped, but at this point there was little he wouldn't do for her. Robin giggled as she rolled onto her back, and Luffy's hands struggled to pull her belt off. With a careful tug, he pulled the tight, purple jeans off her, staring at her long legs admiringly as more of her body was revealed to him. He dropped her trousers behind him, and no one cared where they ended up.

On impulse, he lightly stroked upwards from her knee, feeling her strong muscles. Slowly, he reached the white linen panties, already soaking wet. Before Robin could even say anything, he was pulling the undergarments off, revealing a triangular fuzz of dark hair between her thighs.

Luffy was suddenly lost what to do, but Robin took over. She carefully pulled him down until he was lying over her, and she guided his hand over her sex gingerly. Luffy had a gaze on him like a man exploring a new world as he tenderly stroked downwards from her thighs.

Robin was moaning softly, her hips swinging as she wrapped her legs around his body. Luffy had never realised how long her legs were before, but now they were tightly squeezing around his torso while Luffy knelt over the beautiful, naked woman. Already, he could feel his arousal hardening again.

Robin's hands guided his fingers downwards around her drenched wetness. Luffy stared, entranced, feeling her body tremor with every movement of his hand. She gasped as his head dropped around one of breasts, lightly licking around the nipple, even biting it softly to receive a squeal of satisfaction. With every sound and touch, Luffy could feel the stiffness returning in his groin while Robin's wetness soaked his hand.

Between her moans, Robin was practically growling with frustration as her hips rocked back and forth, yet Luffy was hesitant and nervous. His hand was hovered around her opening, massaging the lips, but too tentative to go any further. Robin could have screamed as she felt the inferno of heat and steaming wetness burn through her body, but with no release. _That's something we'll have to work on_, Robin thought with a spark of irritation, yet Luffy was still a complete beginner. _Oh, but he would learn_.

In a fluid motion, she hooked her hands around Luffy's neck and gently twisted him to the ground. Instantly, she switched positions as she straddled her legs across his body again. Luffy lay roughly on his back, staring upwards as the dark-haired goddess spanned his body. Her gaze was practically ravenous as she positioned her hips above the throb of his groin. Robin was on top of his erection, the tip pressing against her, and they were both panting heavily while the sweat dripped between them.

Luffy could only stare at Robin above him with awe. Her body glistened with sweat, and it was a sight to make his heart cartwheel in his chest.

It was already one of the most amazing experiences of his life. Words failed the feeling, yet the intensity only increased as Robin slowly but surely started to gyrate her hips above him. His arms around her hips, keeping in in pace with the rhythm of her movements. He could feel the desire pouring between them as she guided his torso upwards. His body was shivering with anticipation.

And then it all exploded as their bodies collided. Robin screamed hoarsely, but all Luffy could feel was pressure inside of her.

"_Holy_–!" Luffy rasped helplessly, while the ecstasy caused mind to shatter. He felt her legs squeeze tighter around his body, but that was nothing compared to the fire that was burning through him. The tightness caused every nerve to scream.

Robin took the lead, and through some instinct Luffy managed to keep up with the rhythm. His back arched forward and backwards. The weight of her body was on him, her thighs and buttocks striking against his pelvis in motion. The screams and groans transformed into deep moans of pleasure and gasps of joy, while Luffy gripped Robin so tightly it should have hurt. Their bodies swayed in tempo, every vibration pulsing between them, and every sensation just intensified until it was unbearable.

It took every ounce of willpower Luffy had to hold on. It felt like he was ready to erupt, but the vibrations surging through his body were mind-blowing. Every second stretched out into an eternity of pleasure, and his body fought desperately for just a bit more. The waves of ecstasy started to pulse, and he could feel their bodies tightening in contortion.

"_Luffy…!_" Robin moaned helplessly, her voice echoing through the trees. Suddenly, he knew that she was feeling everything he was. "_Yes…! Mmmm… This is it…!_"

Her cries echoed through the darkness of the jungle. The campfire burnt out a while ago, yet there was nothing left to say or see. Tomorrow, there would be challenges and conversation, but at that moment, neither of them cared about anything except each of thrust their writhing bodies.

Then, ten thousands meters up in the sky, a shrill scream split the night in half, and Luffy went to heaven.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**There's been a lot of action recently, and a lot more coming. I hope this chapter was a good one.**

**Please, tell me how I did.**


	15. Chapter 15: The Sound of Morning

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Do you know that big, highly successful manga series called One Piece? Yeah, I don't own that.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Luffy and his crew are lost and separated in Skypiea, and a war is brewing. Sanji and Usopp are rescued by the Knight of the Sky, Gan Fall, while Nami and Vivi are wounded and searching for the others. Zoro was captured by Marines stranded on the island, only to be released by Tashigi. Conis is taken to Upper Yard by the Commander Yama, while her father chases after her. The raider Wiper is leading an assault against God Enel to reclaim Upper Yard for the Skypieans, while Enel himself is watching to see just who would be the last man standing in his 'Survival Game'.**_

_**Meanwhile, Luffy and Robin end up separated, and very naked together...**_

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Sound of Morning**

As the first faint rays of light flickered through the forest, Luffy was wide awake as he stared at the beautiful, naked woman who had her arms wrapped around him. They were both naked, lying together on the uncomfortable ground. Twigs and rocks dug into Luffy's side and he longed change position, but there was no force on the planet that could make him risk waking her up. Robin looked so peaceful, so serene, as she slept, and every second felt like an eternity with her body next to his. Each breath felt painfully loud in the silence of the forest, but his heartbeat was slow and steady.

Luffy assumed that he must have fallen asleep sometime during the night, but he honestly wasn't sure. The whole experience just blurred together; so vivid yet so overwhelming at the same time. The memories were burned out of his skull, yet it was the feelings that he recalled the most. The feeling of her body around his, of her muscles, and her mouth…

The very thought was enough to make his pulse race.

Instead, he just lay on the ground, perfectly still yet wide awake. He watched Robin sleep and felt the rhythm of her breathing as her breasts pushed gently against his chest. Her body was so warm. He had no idea how long he had been lying like that, but time seemed to freeze anyways. Luffy was thinking hard, or at least trying to. He had never been a great thinker, but now his thoughts were so sluggish that it had taken him hours just to form a coherent thought.

_Well, _Luffy thought slowly, as his skin tingled with the phantom feelings of last night; _that actually happened…_

…

_**Wow**__._

Even as the first rays of morning danced through the foliage, Luffy didn't move. His body was cold, itchy and trembling, but Robin looked so peaceful that he would never dare disturb her. After what seemed like a lifetime, Robin started to squirm slightly, and her eyes flickered.

"You're staring," she murmured sleepily, yawning as she stretched out, cat-like.

"…Sorry," Luffy blushed, forcing his eyes to look away.

She smiled softly, and brushed her hand against his cheek.

"It's alright," she reassured, moving in closer. "You're allowed to stare."

Their lips touched gently, a soft peck full of affection. Luffy was grinning madly. So was Robin.

"Good morning," she whispered, her hands resting on his stomach. She could already feel the pressure as Luffy's arousal started to stiffen.

With a small thrill, Robin realised that she had absolutely no regret about what she did last night. She had briefly wondered if she would wake up the morning after filled with dread and guilt for being so impulsive, but there was nothing but a warm, contented sensation filling up her chest. She had enjoyed it far too much to feel anything but satisfaction.

Luffy tried to return the greeting, but the words jammed in his throat. His heartbeat was so loud it felt deafening. Acting on instinct, he pushed himself closer for a second kiss, this time longer and more passionate, while her hands caressed his body tenderly.

She sighed softly, which only drove him to push on further. Robin could feel her body heating up. Her skin was tingling with his taste on her mouth. She had to bite her cheek for restraint as she pulled herself away.

"Luffy…" she said unwillingly. "We've got to move. We need meet up with the others."

He paused, his body hesitating for a second before collapsing in resignation. His friends needed him. "You're right…" Luffy murmured, still staring at Robin with such longing that it made her heart skip.

She grinned, and then winced slightly as she pulled herself up off the ground. There were twigs and leaves stuck to her skin, and her hair was faintly resembled a bird's nest. "God, I'm a mess," Robin muttered.

Luffy didn't think she looked anything less than glorious. He tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. He had never realised just how hard it was to put the words together.

"Come on," Robin said, brushing herself off and standing up. "We've got to find our clothes. I need to wash myself."

Luffy followed blindly. His head was spinning so quickly he could barely even walk straight. Their clothes were scattered around the camp. Luffy found his shorts next to the bonfire, while Robin picked up her shirt, pants, bra and panties from different corners of the campsite. Luffy's mind went blank for a moment, temporarily hypnotised by the way her hips rocked and her body bounced with every movement. Robin didn't seem to mind him staring.

She led the way to the nearby stream, carrying her clothes under her arm, and then bent over to wash herself. Luffy followed her lead, but his attention was focused solely on the way the droplets of water trickled down her well-toned and curvaceous body. She glanced towards him frequently enough, too.

Their supplies were limited, so when she was done she dried herself off using her shirt, and then wore it inside out. Luffy put his sandals, shorts and underwear on, but left his body dripping wet. It was only when they both wearing clothes that Luffy rediscovered how to talk again.

"Robin," he called softly, still trying to figure out what to say. She turned to face him with wide brown eyes. "I… I don't… I mean, I just… what…"

The words died in her mouth. Robin slowly walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was taller than he was, so much so that he had to look upwards to stare into her ears. He could feel her breath on his face. He felt his pulse soothe.

"Yes?" She asked gently, looking at him understandingly.

"I don't understand what's happening here," he admitted quietly. "I've never done this before, I don't know what to say, or what to do, or –"

He was cut off by a sudden kiss. As soon as her lips touched his, any fear seemed to vanish.

"Luffy," Robin said gently. "You don't have to _do_ anything; just… just don't overthink it."

Luffy was speechless for a while. Overthinking. That was something he had never been accused of before. His expression forced Robin to supress a giggle.

"It's simple," Robin explained. "Did you enjoy what we did last night?"

He nodded. "And so did I," Robin continued. _Some room for improvement, but a pretty good first effort_, she added quietly to herself. "We just enjoyed each other's company."

Luffy didn't respond. "Think of it like friendship," Robin added, a flicker in her eyes. "Just… _very_ close friendship. You don't have to think of it as any more than that if you don't want to."

There was a slight edge to that last statement. Luffy stared at her inquiringly. For the first time, Robin shifted slightly, and her composure started to crack.

"I'm not going to put anything on you," she explained. "You're seventeen, it was your first time, and… well, it was wrong of me to jump on you like that," she admitted, slightly sheepishly. She sighed. "You have no obligation to make anything more out of last night if you don't want to."

A look of utter confusion settled on Luffy's face as he tried to understand what she was saying. "I like you, Robin," he said finally, before realising how lame that sounded. "I mean, _really_ like you. And I really liked… last night. I just… want to know what the rules are."

Robin's gaze turned curious. "The rules?" She asked interestedly.

Luffy shifted slightly. "Well, what do we do now," he muttered uncomfortably. "And how do I treat you. I mean, Sanji keeps on going on about –"

"Alright, that's rule number one," Robin interrupted. "You forget everything that Sanji has to say on the subject."

"Everything?"

She nodded firmly. "Everything."

Luffy looked relieved. He remembered Sanji's 'cookery' book clearly. "Thank god," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I'm pretty sure most of those were impossible, anyways." A giggle burst out of Robin's lips.

There was a moment's silence, and Robin surprised herself by how comfortable she felt. She had her arms wrapped around Luffy's neck, yet her heartbeat was completely calm. For twenty years, she had had trouble letting herself get close to anyone, and it was a strange thrill to realise how intimate they were now.

Followed by a sudden realisation that she really didn't want to lose this feeling.

"Ok, then," Robin said quietly, pulling herself in slightly closer. "We set the rules right now."

He didn't respond. Robin continued in a hushed voice, but they were so close Luffy could hear her perfectly. "There are no commitments," she said finally. "No pressure, and no obligations on each other. We don't have to move too fast, and we can figure everything else out as we go. Does that sound good to you?"

He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "And… well…." He muttered, a bit awkwardly. "Could we keep it quiet from the others?"

She grinned, glad that he was the one who mentioned it. "I think that's a very good idea."

"Especially from Sanji?"

"Especially from Sanji," Robin agreed definitely, although honestly she was more worried about how Nami and Vivi would react. "There's no need for anybody else to get involved between us."

He still looked slightly uncertain, like a man trying to navigate an ocean he had absolutely no experience with.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," Robin continued reassuringly. "Last night I did that because I wanted to, and that's all we need to work by. What we want, and what we want to do for each other. It's exactly the same as friendship; we stay honest with each other, considerate, and we get to be a lot _closer_. Just…" Her voice cracked and she bit her lip slightly, trying to think of the best way to phrase it. "…Just treat me with respect."

As soon as it came out, she regretted the way it sounded. Luffy's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Of course I'll respect you," he said the same voice someone would use to argue that the sky was still blue. "You're, well, you're an amazing person."

He said with such simple certainty that it nearly took Robin's breath away. Without a second thought, her lips pressed against his, lingering for a long time before pulling away. Luffy was breathing heavily as they part. They were standing so close, both of them still slightly wet.

"What about you?" Robin asked eventually. "What rules do you want?"

"I…" Luffy gulped, before admitting, "I really don't want to lose you as a friend."

The smile stretched across her face. "Yes, that's the most important rule of all," Robin muttered, before pushing in for another kiss. This time it was more passionate, a stream of wanton kisses across their lips.

Slowly, Luffy started to take the lead, and Robin was happy to let him set the pace. His arm wrapped around her waist as he leant her backwards gently. It was with an air of wonder that he realised he could _touch her wherever he wanted_. His other hand started on her thighs but then started to drift around. He caressed across her chest, her breasts, trailing over her bellybutton and down to her hips; tracing the ridges of her muscles. Her body was soft yet firm, and responsive.

Robin's leg slowly started to wrap around his. It was with a faint gasp she forced herself pull away. "Luffy," she gulped slightly, while her cheeks blushed bright red. "We've really got to go look the others."

He nodded dumbly. "Yes," he muttered, blinking repeatedly as he tried to compose himself. "The others."

There was a moment's quiet as they stared at each other, before his face broke out into a large grin that stretched from ear to ear. Robin smoothed her clothes down, flashed him a sly smile, and then extended her hand quietly. He took her hand tightly, and then they started walking away together.

In the distance, the shadow of the giant beanstalk loomed over the forest. For nearly half an hour they walked towards the beanstalk in comfortable silence, strolling silently while the forest began to wake up.

Eventually, Robin glanced towards him. "You know," she said quietly, her voice amused. "You can stop smiling now."

He shook his head. The smile had turned into a permanent fixture on his face. "No," he said finally. "I really can't."

* * *

In the sky, the sunlight seemed to be nearly horizontal as it slowly seemed to flood over Upper Yard. Dawn gradually filled the island with gloriously bright light, and then forest was strangely subdued while the sun crept over the horizon.

"Nami!" Vivi shouted with concern, still holding her wounded side tenderly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Nami called back, although she was climbing so high into the treetops that she couldn't even see Vivi anymore. The rough bark bit into her fingers, but the tree was so large and twisting that climbing it was quite easy. With a rough shove, she pushed a giant leaf out of the way, and then the forests of Upper Yard stretched out beneath her. With the golden light illuminating every outline, the untamed land looked almost beautiful.

_It would look a lot more beautiful if we had a way out_, Nami thought grimly, sighing as she surveyed the surroundings.

Five minutes later, she climbed down to the ground again. Vivi was biting her lip worriedly. "How does it look?" The princess asked eventually.

"Big," Nami grimaced, her navigator's brain already putting the geography together. "There's a huge beanstalk to the east in the centre of the island– we must have come that direction. We're quite close to the sea, but we don't have a ship. Judging from the sun, Angel Island must be somewhere to the south-east, on the other side of the island. There are lots of Milky Roads all over this island, that must be how everyone moves across, yet we'll still need a ship."

Nami's lips pursed. "Also," she continued curiously. "There's half a building to the west of us."

Vivi frowned. "Half a building?"

"Cut in half down the centre, right on the coast, not far from here." Nami nodded, looking thoughtful. "There's something really strange about this island…"

"Oh," Vivi muttered, unsure. "Any sign of the others?"

Nami shook her head. "Too much foliage. I couldn't see any details."

"Maybe we need a signal fire or something?" Vivi suggested hopefully.

"You really want to tell that psycho priest and those raiders where we are?" Nami countered. Vivi sagged with disappointment.

"Right…"

There was an awkward silence. Ever since last night there had been a strange tension between them. They were both doing their best to ignore it and stay busy, but it was hard when they were both thinking about it intensely. The feelings were out, but neither of them were sure how to deal with it.

Nami shifted uncomfortably. "We've got to search for the others," she said firmly. "And then we can find our ship, and get out of here."

Vivi nodded. "Ok, then."

Neither of them moved. Vivi carefully avoided eye contact. After a couple of seconds, Nami sighed.

"Listen, Vivi…" Nami murmured slowly. Vivi didn't react, but she was listening intently. Nami squirmed awkwardly. "…I just want to say, well… I just don't want to –"

"NAMI! VIVI!" A voice boomed so loudly that birds erupted into flight. Nami felt like throttling someone at the interruption. At that moment, a likely candidate burst from undergrowth.

Sanji was practically panting with excitement. His suit was torn and ripped, his hair was a mess, but he didn't seem to care. He was drooling with anticipation as he stared towards Nami and Vivi, breaking into a run with his arms wide open.

"_Nami_! _Vivi_!" Sanji screamed happily, the tears running from his eyes as he saw them, and their lack of shirts. "_BREASTS_!"

Vivi looked shocked and confused. Nami responded instinctively as Sanji charged up for a hug; by extending her fist while the chef ran straight into her knuckles headfirst. Sanji dropped to the ground.

"I'm so happy I've found you," Sanji murmured nearly incomprehensibly through what sounded like a broken nose. Vivi just stared at him bemusedly.

"I can't believe I was actually looking for you a while ago," Nami sighed, rubbing her face with despair.

From the same direction and with a much quieter entrance, Usopp popped his head through the shrubbery cautiously.

"Oh," the sniper greeted casually. "Hey there. Nami. Vivi."

There was a rustle of leaves, and suddenly a small, furry object shoved Usopp out the way, followed by a large amount of quacking as the bushes exploded.

"Carue!" Vivi cried excitedly, rushing up to hug the panicked duck. Carue was flapping madly even as Vivi hugged her old friend tightly.

"Nami!" Chopper screeched in a high-pitched voice, wrapping his arms around Nami for comfort. The doctor was shivering with trembling with fear, holding on tightly. Nami's expression instantly softened. "I'm so glad I've found you! It was really scary! There was this octopus head, and a swamp maze, and Zoro kept on getting lost, and then marines and then –"

"Easy, now…" Nami soothed, holding Chopper closely. The reindeer was seemingly oblivious to being pressed against her voluptuous chest, or how little skin her bikini was actually covering.

Sanji watched quietly, his tears slowly turning to tears of sadness, before turning away to stew. "I wish I was a reindeer…" The chef muttered bitterly. "Or perhaps even a duck…"

"Nami!" Usopp called curiously, pointedly ignoring Sanji's melodrama. "You don't know where Luffy or Robin is, by any chance?"

The navigator gulped, and shook her head. Usopp slouched with disappointment. "That must mean Luffy and Robin ended up together…" He mused. "At least Robin will keep him out of trouble."

Sanji grumbled something about 'that buffoon' ending up with Robin, but everyone ignored him. The chef recovered from his rejection like a pro, and lit a cigarette coolly.

"So how are we meant to find Luffy?" Chopper squeaked nervously.

"Just follow the explosions," Sanji muttered quietly. "Luffy could never do anything quietly."

Nami cast a glance at Vivi, and then asked, "What about Zoro?"

"Zoro ended up with Chopper, and then got lost," Usopp explained, rolling his eyes. "So he's probably in the West Blue or something by now…"

Vivi glanced between Chopper, Usopp and Sanji curiously. Sanji and Usopp both looked pretty badly beaten, but Chopper seemed in fairly good shape. "Did you have to fight 'Ordeals' and priests too?"

"Yeah," Usopp said with instant arrogance. "We faced this giant guardian, Satori, yet I beat him with one hand behind my back –"

"He lost and had to be saved by this Knight of the Sky," Sanji translated.

"Well so did you!"

"Anyways, that old geezer saved us and then dropped us off with Chopper," Sanji explained simply. "And then our emergency food supply here managed to sniff out you two."

Chopper tried not to look pleased at the sort-of compliment. Nami sighed wearily. "Chopper, could you try to smell where Zoro, Robin or Luffy are?" She asked tiredly.

The toddler sized human reindeer saluted happily, his pink hat wobbling over his antlers with the clumsy movement. Then, his body rippled like water, and his shape morphed fluidly. In the blink of an eye, Chopper was transformed into a medium-sized reindeer with shaggy fur and a lean body. He was still wearing his hat and purple trousers, even as he started sniffing in a wide circle.

Vivi's shoulders sagged in relief, causing her to wince and clutch her side. For the first time, Sanji noticed her wound, still crudely bandaged in the bloody remains of Nami's shirt.

"You're injured," the chef exclaimed suddenly, his eyes instantly alert. "Did someone dare to hurt you? Tell me who would injure such beauty, and I swear on my honour that I pound the manners into him until he apologises for hurting beauty incarnate!"

His eyes started glowing, and Sanji seemed to magically rotate in circles. Vivi glanced around with confusion. Nami just looked even more fed up. "For I shall be your knight in shining armour! I shall beat all miscreants in to the ground!"

In a supernaturally smooth motion, Sanji pulled his red shirt straight off, somehow without even tearing the buttons. At once, Sanji was bare-chested and kneeling before Vivi, holding out his shirt like a precious offering.

"Take my shirt for bandages, my princess," Sanji muttered coolly, taking a deep breath of his cigarette and lowering his voice into dull whisper. Vivi was looking around, flustered, struggling to decide how to react. "For I would run through hell itself, barefoot and over burning coals in your name. My body is yours to command!"

Pleading, Vivi glanced towards Nami. The navigator groaned as she stepped in front of Sanji. Nami firstly took his shirt, because Vivi did need a new bandage, before punching Sanji squarely in the nose. The chef fell backwards with a squirt of blood. "Had to be done," Nami explained with a shrug, already tearing Sanji's shirt in half.

Usopp looked down at Sanji without shock. "You're an idiot."

"No!" Sanji cried triumphantly. "I am in _love_!"

A few meters away, Chopper's blue nose wrinkled. The reindeer was sniffing the ground when the wind changed, and a new scent hit his nostrils. At once, Chopper's eyes widened in shock. "Guys! Someone's coming!"

The reaction was instant. Usopp drew his slingshot and pulled it back instinctively, somewhat uselessly since he was still out of ammo. Without hesitation, Sanji leapt to his feet, spinning his legs around and stepping forward in front of Nami and Vivi, while the bushes started to rustle.

"Quickly!" Sanji said urgently, dropping into a fighting stance. "We don't know who it is! Nami! Vivi! You better hug me tightly!"

"Why haven't I killed him yet?" Nami growled irritably, flourishing her Clima-Tact forward. The sound of crunching twigs and footprints were painfully loud in the quiet. Chopper was in front of her, transforming into his Heavy point, and standing up pretty well despite trembling slightly.

The footsteps were nearly echoing around the trees. They could see the outline of the approaching intruder, his shadow highlighted by the sun, as he paused just before the clearing. Every muscle was tensed, and for a few heart pounding seconds the world froze just before the figure finally stepped through the brambles.

And then suddenly the pirates were staring at an average-sized, middle-aged man in dull clothing, looking at the group almost absentmindedly.

"Oh, excuse me," Pagaya said with mild surprise. "I thought you were someone else."

Nobody said a word as the tension melted away into an awkward gloop. After a couple of seconds, Pagaya simply turned around and started to walk away. As a group, the pirates deadpanned, with various levels of drama.

"Wait a second!" Nami demanded angrily at the retreating Pagaya. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?!"

Pagaya looked faintly confused at the question as he turned around. "I'm walking through the forest," he said simply, making hand movements as if to demonstrate. A vein twitched in Nami's forehead.

"You're Conis' father, aren't you?" Vivi asked, just before Nami had a chance to explode. "She means why are you on this island?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Pagaya apologised, rubbing the back of his head idly. Slowly, Usopp realised that Pagaya had a bazooka slung across one shoulder and a large bag slung across the other, and his grey clothes seemed almost damp. It was hard to see clearly with the sun in his eyes. "I'm here looking for my daughter. I've been searching all night."

"Conis?" Sanji asked urgently. "Conis is on this island?"

"Yes," Pagaya nodded. "And I fear she's in danger. You haven't seen her by any chance?"

Sanji's visible eye glinted with shock. Nami was looking at Pagaya with confusion and faint irritation. "Conis is here?" the navigator demanded. "But she poisoned us and sent us here! Isn't Conis working for the enemy? Why is she in danger?"

For half a second, Usopp was sure he saw an expression flicker through Pagaya's normally completely impassive face. It was an expression that suddenly didn't look so apologetic.

"Conis was taken from Angel Island yesterday, by the Commander of the Enforcers, in your ship heading towards God's Shrine," Pagaya explained simply. "I was hoping to intercept them, but I fear they might have slipped by. She might have been forced to betray you, but she is not loyal to Enel. She is in grave danger on this island."

Nami grinned brightly as she put together what Pagaya was saying, glancing at Vivi happily. "That means the Going Merry is on this island too! So we have an escape route, we just have to –"

"Nami," Usopp interrupted slowly, squinting to see with the sun in his eyes. He suddenly recognised the dark liquid that soaked through Pagaya's yellow shirt. "I think that Pagaya is bleeding…"

"Oh, I am?" The Skypiean muttered with surprise, staring down at the blood covering his arms and chest. Droplets of red dripped onto the ground.

"He's bleeding!" Chopper cried with alarm. "Is there a doctor around? Is there – oh right."

At once, the reindeer rushed to Pagaya's side and pulled him to the ground so he could inspect. The Skypiean complied absentmindedly. As soon as he was pulled out of the sun, they could all see the red stains covering his upper body. It didn't take Chopper to realise what was wrong.

"Wait," the reindeer squeaked with confusion. "You don't have any injuries at all…"

"Oh yes, that's right," Pagaya remembered, twirling his antennas thoughtfully. It looked like he was smiling, but it was hard to tell through his bushy beard and closed eyes. "Pardon me; that blood is not mine."

There were a few seconds quiet. Slowly, Chopper started to take a few steps backwards. "Ummm… whose blood is it?"

Pagaya looked apologetic, but there was just a hint of something else there too. Usopp suddenly noticed that the nozzle of his bazooka was covered in blood too. "Oh, I'm very sorry," he confessed. "But I can't remember."

Everything went quiet. Sanji took a deep breath of his cigarette and stared at Pagaya thoughtfully. Pagaya looked the very image of a humble, unassuming father. A humble, unassuming father covered in blood and armed with a bazooka.

"I really am sorry about what Conis did to you," Pagaya explained, standing up slowly. "She shouldn't have betrayed you to do the authorities like that, but at the time she believed she never have had a choice. She did what she did because she was scared and foolish." Pagaya glanced at Nami earnestly. "I hope you can find it in your hearts to accept that she made a mistake and let bygones be bygones."

There was a moment's pause. Pagaya's voice shifted slightly. "That said…" He continued, more quietly. "… if you attempt to seek retribution on Conis for her actions, then _I_ will not forgive _you_."

Nobody made a move. Usopp was instantly aware that his bazooka was very close to hand. Nami looked momentarily speechless. Vivi stared at Pagaya, suddenly thinking about her own father, and how far he would go to protect her. Perhaps it was a father-daughter thing. The princess felt her heart flutter slightly. It was Sanji that eventually broke the silence.

"You never have to worry about us," the chef muttered solemnly, flicking his cigarette to the ground. "No one in this crew would hurt an innocent, and I swear that I would give my own life before I allow a lady to be harmed so unjustly!"

After half a second, Pagaya grinned. "Then we won't have a problem!" He said pleasantly. "I'm sorry for taking up your time."

He turned to leave, but paused to point at the small white lines in the distance, crisscrossing over the forest. "Do you see those?" He explained. "They are Milky Roads that go all across Upper Yard, streams made out of a mixture of Island and Sea Cloud that is sturdy enough to support itself yet ships can still sail over it. God's followers use them to transport supplies and avoid the dangerous forests. I assume that Yama must have brought your ship over the Milky Roads."

Pagaya glanced at each of them seriously. "I will head to God's Shrine to try and cut him off and rescue Conis. However, the Milky Roads are all interconnected together, so if you follow one of them then you are sure to eventually find your ship."

It took Nami a few seconds to process the information. "So we just have to follow the Milky Roads… we can do that."

"I hope you have a save journey," Pagaya said softly, carefully slinging off his bag. "Citizens of the Blue Sea are at a disadvantage in the sky. Perhaps these will help even the odds."

He dropped the bag in front of the pirates. Usopp was the one that stepped forward to open it, carefully unzipping the bag as if it were a bomb. "I spent six years building those," Pagaya admitted. "Originally, we wanted to arm an army. I would hate to see them go to waste."

The bag was filled with dozens of bulky objects. Some of them had been fashioned into swords or arrows, but most were circular, bony structures with a cylindrical shell.

Chopper looked at the bag with confusion. "Shells?"

"No," Usopp murmured. "They're _Dials_."

"They're weapons," Pagaya muttered, already starting to walk away, as the pirates stared at him with confusion. "In the sky, Dials are the most precious commodity in war."

He paused briefly, glancing back to the group. His voice was uncharacteristically grim. The morning sunlight glinted off the dried blood on his hands. "You should leave this island as quickly as possible," Pagaya warned darkly. "This is not a safe place for anyone…"

* * *

Conis leaned slowly over the ledge of the Going Merry into the waters below. The ship was dock at an old ruin in the middle of a lake, and she was surrounded by creepy bird noises, dangling vines and overgrown trees. Not long ago, Conis would have been thrilled to be here; in the middle of the Holy Land, walking on Vearth itself, surrounded by a wildlife that was unnatural to the sky. She had never imagined that she would end up in Upper Yard under these circumstances.

She looked the ancient ruins quietly. It was a sacrificial altar, Yama had told her briefly as they docked up in the ruins last night. Somehow, that was almost fitting. Conis wondered how many people she had sent to this altar over the years.

In the lake before, Conis could see Sky Sharks thrashing under the surface. For most of last night, she had debated jumping and ending it all. She still didn't know why she shouldn't. She was going to die anyways, and if there was one thing Conis was certain of, it was that she was going to hell.

All around her, she was surrounded by reminders of the people she had betrayed. The people she had sentenced to death. Everything from the scent of cigarettes in the kitchen to the books and maps scattered about the women's quarters, to the mess littered throughout the meeting room was a painful reminder of what she had done.

_I killed them all,_ Conis thought dully, watching the sun rise over the ruins. _The pirates were surely dead by now, and it is all my fault_.

Now, Conis was trapped on a boat with Yama. They sailed off late yesterday, but not even the Commander of God's Enforcers had been comfortable travelling through Upper Yard in the dark. He had stopped at the altar for the night, but now as morning approached they'd be setting off shortly.

Conis _despised_ Yama. She was normally mild mannered, but she hated everything about the man. She hated the way he stomped about the ship without any respect, she hated the way he talked to her, and she hated the way he sized her up with suspicious, beady eyes. The man was as fat as a house, and so sweaty that the stench haunted her, yet he still glared at her like she was an insect. Yama was a horrible, disgusting person.

Commander Yama would idly smash through the doors to fit through, or throw out whatever piece of furniture he didn't like. He manhandled the sails like an animal tamer brutalising a beast. Yama would treat the Going Merry like it was piece of the trash. Somehow, Conis found that the most despicable thing about him.

This ship was special. It was the first time she had ever been on a Blue Sea ship like this, but she could feel it all around her. It was almost as if the Going Merry had a personality that was soaked into the walls. It was more than just planks of wood and sails.

Slowly, Conis rubbed the wooden ledge, feeling the shivers run down her spine. She couldn't explain it, but Conis could _feel_ the Going Merry. It was almost as the Going Merry was alive.

She had seen how the ship responded when Yama tried to sail it. Every rope snapped, every sail buckled in the slightest wind. It was the main reason why it had taken so long to travel through Upper Yard. It was like the ship itself objected to Yama's presence just as much as she did.

Conis' red eyes burned as she tried to look at the sun. She had been crying all night, and the tears had stained her face. Her lips tasted salty. The grief and turmoil was strangling from the inside. She had murdered eight people. Eight _good_ people. Conis realised suddenly that she couldn't live with that thought. She just wanted it to end. The pain was too much to bear.

_I might as well end it here myself_, Conis thought, feeling strangely distant suddenly. _God will surely kill me himself as soon as I reach Upper Yard…_

She spent a long time staring at the sharks thrashing in the water below. Then, carefully, she climbed up onto the ledge until she was standing on the edge. Her heart was pounding furiously, but Conis couldn't feel it.

With a deep breath, she took one last glimpse at the golden sun before closing her eyes. Her blonde hair draped unkempt over her face, and then everything faded as she pushed forward. She could feel herself tilting, falling closer over the edge…

And then, a gentle hand landed on her shoulder. It was barely more than a brushing touch, but enough to knock her backwards. Conis' eyes burst open as she landed firmly on the wooden deck, glancing around in shock.

"What the –?" Conis gasped, her hand on her shoulder, feeling the phantom sensation of a touch. Her heart was pounding faster than ever. She turned quickly, just in time to glimpse a yellow flash disappearing below deck.

Suddenly, she was feeling lightheaded and confused. Without a second thought, Conis scrambled to her feet and chased after the retreating shape.

"Is anyone there?" Conis demanded, hearing her voice echo as she dropped down into the storage room. Inside the Going Merry, it was dark and gloomy as Conis stumbled almost blindly through the cramped room.

She caught a flicker of movement heading towards the women's room and she charged after it. _It couldn't be Yama_, Conis told herself firmly, _I can still hear his snoring from the men's room_.

"Who's there?" Conis asked with a hushed voice, which still seemed unnaturally loud.

There was a rustling behind her. Conis' had no idea how the unseen intruder had got by her, but she turned and gave chase. It was dark and quiet, yet somehow Conis still knew that there was somebody there as she stumbled back out of the women's quarters.

She charged towards the forehead cannon deck, suddenly a feeling washed over her. It was the same feeling she had ever since she arrived the Going Merry. Conis instantly found herself wondering if a ship could really be alive.

Conis thought about her father, and the way that he treat ever Dial boat he repaired. Pagaya would talk quietly to each waver like an old friend, and polish the wood almost affectionately. He once joked that all something's needed to work was a little bit of love. Maybe if something was cared for enough, then who could say whether it was alive or not…?

Conis felt herself breathing deeply as she looked around the empty cannon deck. There was prickling in the back of her neck that warned that something was not right here. She shouldn't be on this ship. She was breaking some rules.

"… Is there anyone else on this ship…?" Conis whispered breathlessly to the empty room.

For a few seconds, the only sound was her heart pounding furiously in her chest. And then…

"_No_," a gentle voice replied from behind her. "_There's no one else_."

It took a long time for Conis to respond. She turned around with wide, disbelieving eyes, only to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was a small person, as large as a child, their face and body covered by an overly large yellow raincoat. The voice was light and childlike, yet reverberating with power.

"_There's just me_," the figure said softly with a small shrug. "_I've always been here_."

Conis felt her heart start to spin. This was impossible. She couldn't seriously be talking to the spirit of a…

The Skypiean looked like she was about to collapse. The hooded figure took on a more urgent tone. "They're all still alive," it hissed quietly.

"What…? Who…?" Conis gulped confusedly, still glancing around with panic. The figure's outline seemed to waver, almost translucently.

"_Everyone. My friends_," the figure replied, hushed. "_Robin. Vivi. Chopper. Sanji. Nami. Zoro. Luffy. Usopp_." It said that last name with a slight hesitation. "_I can feel them. They're all still alive on this island._"

Conis didn't respond. "_We can still help them_," it continued, almost pleadingly. "_We can still save them_."

Conis shook her head disbelievingly. "I don't understand…" She gasped.

The hooded figure took a step forward. Suddenly, Conis recognised the edge in its voice. It was _crying_.

"_They're in trouble. They need me. They need us_," the voice sounded desperate now. "_We have to move quickly, and I need to go to them. I'm too weak to do it myself, but I can't let it end like this. I need to save them all_."

Conis felt her heart pounding like a drum. The figure was frantic, like a child looking for its family.

"_They need your help_," it begged. "_Otherwise, they're all going to die_."

* * *

It was silent as the scouting party headed back into camp. The charred ruins of the battleship were still sinking in the coast, and the marines were still trying to salvage whatever little they could from the wreck. The camp was makeshift at best. A perimeter had been set up, but the coast was a terrible location to defend. Tashigi's party met no resistance as she walked into the frenzied marine camp.

Tashigi forced herself to ignore the glances that her men were giving them. There were no accusations, no open disobedience. They followed her orders with quiet contempt, but without any insubordination. Somehow, that was even worse. The mood was poisonous.

She tried to tell herself that there was nothing they could prove. All they knew was that Zoro escaped sometime in the night. No one was precisely sure when or how he escaped. There was absolutely no evidence against her.

Except that everyone had carefully watched Tashigi talk privately to the pirate. Except that Tashigi had helped the pirates escape arrest once in Alabasta, and that she was being charged with pirate sympathies. Except that there were over fifty marines glaring at their commanding officer with obvious suspicious.

Tashigi kept a firm grip on her sword for reassurance, and tried to stop her stomach from churning.

In the bustling camp, there were marines everywhere, most of them wounded. Some tents had been set up, but mostly the camp was just a jumble of salvaged crates and busy men. There were injured marines forced to lie on the ground while overworked doctors and medics attempted first aid.

Tashigi felt a feeling of dread fall over her as she estimated how many marines were remaining. In less than twenty four hours, they must have lost over half their number.

In the camp, the men under her command disappeared into the crowd as soon as possible. Normally, that would be a flogging offence, but Tashigi barely had any authority left. No doubt that they would spread among the others, and the rumours about her would spread like wildfire. Tashigi the pirate sympathiser. _Tashigi the pirate_…

The lieutenant took a deep breath and forced forward through the bustle. She was trying to find Captain Hina, but the camp was in such chaos that it was hard to find anything. Tashigi paused as she paused a row of medical tents, where a wrinkled old woman was shivering on a bench, distant from all the marines.

"You're Amazon, right?" Tashigi asked curiously. "The gatekeeper. What are you doing here?"

The old lady looked at her with surprise. Amazon was very short, elderly, and had a face that seemed to be made of wrinkles. She was shivering slightly, and her clothes were scorched. Tashigi could barely believe that it was only yesterday, but she remembered Smoker giving the order to have the gatekeeper brought on board and interrogated.

Tashigi blinked. The realisation hit her. "_Oh_," Tashigi muttered with shock. "You were in the brig when Enel destroyed the ship… I am so sorry, nobody intended for that to happen to you…"

It took a few seconds for the old lady to respond. "It's alright," she muttered, her voice calm, but very cautious. She was trembling slightly. "Your people were very kind to fish me out of the water like that…"

Tashigi felt her heart break for the old woman. She looked so frail and vulnerable, and Tashigi could barely imagine what it must have been like for the ship to explode in lightning around her. She was just about to try and reassure Amazon, when suddenly a voice burst through the camp.

"Lieutenant Tashigi!" It was Hina's voice, and then the captain was walking through the camp. The sea of marines parted to let her by, mostly due to Fullbody and Jango pushing everyone out of her way.

Tashigi snapped to attention and saluted on reflex. Hina was approaching her slowly, with an unreadable expression. Standing shortly behind Hina, Tashigi recognised several men from her scouting party, each with a snide little smirk. Tashigi felt her stomach jump.

"Captain," Tashigi said politely, as Hina approached. There were dozens of eyes focused on the two of them. Even Fullbody and Jango became silent.

"Tashigi," Hina muttered. "Hina has just received several accusations about you. Are they true?"

"I don't know, Captain. What are the accusations?" Tashigi didn't drop her salute, keeping her face wooden.

The captain just looked at her coolly. "Please don't play dumb. It's a poor defence."

Tashigi paused for half a second. "No, captain. The accusations are completely unfounded."

Tashigi was a terrible liar.

Hina didn't react straight away. "I see," the captain murmured. The pink blonde captain thought about for a while, and then seemed to reach a decision.

She turned to the assembled marines. "Everyone get moving!" Hina ordered loudly, turning away from Tashigi. "We move out in ten minutes! Hina wants everyone armed and ready to go! Any wounded trail along at the back!"

Her voice carried such natural authority that everyone snapped to attention and started to move with renewed vigour. A warning glance from Hina told Tashigi not to go anywhere, even as everyone else started to file away. Even those who wanted to watch were forced away by Hina's unquestioned command presence. The noise in the camp became louder.

"We need move out quickly," Hina explained to Tashigi in a softer tone of voice, when no one else was listening. "This island has been eating through marines ever since we arrived, and Hina is not going to stay here until there's no one left. We've got to go on the offensive while we still have the manpower, and bring this island under control."

Tashigi nodded understandingly. Around her, there was a dull rumble as the few remaining cannons were rolled out. "And what about me, captain?" Tashigi asked with quiet anxiety.

Hina looked at her sympathetically. There was genuine empathy in the captain's eyes. Women in the Marines were few and far between; perhaps that was why Hina had always seemed more compassionate to Tashigi than others. Hina shook her head regretfully.

"Hina is not the one you have to worry about," she muttered softly, turning to the camp. "You're not under my command."

Tashigi frowned, but then she followed Hina's gaze to a lone figure limping through the chaos. Tashigi felt her body stiffen with utter dread. Tashigi's hand went instinctively to her sword.

Smoker was up and about again. His clothes were still charred, but he had a baton in his hand and a pistol in his waist. His body seemed stiff, yet there was pure determination in his eyes.

And he was glaring at Tashigi with undiluted rage.

* * *

It was morning by the time Wiper returned to the Shandorian camp. The other raiders had retired the previous evening, yet Wiper fought longer and more viciously than anyone. By the time he finally did return the camp, the sun was rising slowly and it was only because he needed to reload.

Laki watched him stomp in to the camp moodily. It had been a tiring day and a restless night for all the raiders. Wiper was suffering small cuts and bruises across his body, yet his hands and his bazooka were coated in a layer of dried blood.

"Where have you been all night?" Laki asked coolly, leaning up against a sentry post. They were camped not far away from a field of skulls on pikes, a gruesome reminder of why they were here. The smell of rotting bones still lingered over everything.

Wiper just grunted. "Hunting."

"Any luck?"

A foul expression passed Wiper's face. "Lots of small fries, no big game," he scoffed, cleaning the blood of his nozzle. His bazooka was as much a heavy club as it was a ranged weapon. Laki wondered curiously how many Enforcers had met their end by it.

Wiper dropped his bazooka on to the ground. The God-Slayer landed with a tremendous thud. "The four priests are the big targets," Wiper muttered. "We should have killed Ohm, but the bastard escaped. I caught Gedatsu later on, but he disappeared into his swamps and I couldn't find him again. I spent the rest of night hunting down Satori, yet those damn balls kept getting in the way. I haven't caught a glimpse of Shura yet."

"That's because Shura is dead," Laki told him simply. "Aisa heard his 'voice' go out yesterday, when you were off hunting by himself."

Wiper looked momentarily surprised. "Shura was one tough bastard," he muttered. "Who killed him?"

"Aisa's not sure," Laki shrugged. "It wasn't one of us. Must have been one of the Blue Sea citizens."

"Hmph. I met quite a few of those intruders," Wiper growled, and Laki doubted the 'meeting' would have gone well for them. "The forest is flooded with guys in white uniform, but they never even knew how to fight properly. They would never have been able to beat a priest."

Wiper paused slightly. "Then again," he admitted. "There were these two girls that looked like they were giving Ohm a pretty hard time. They were made of different stuff. They got away, but I was too busy to hunt them down."

"Really?" Laki asked with a teasing smile, placing her hand on her hips. "The great 'Berserker' Wiper, heir to Calgara, was shown up by a couple of _girls_?"

Wiper just rolled his eyes and pushed his way past her. Laki scowled briefly in irritation. The camp was made up of three hastily assembled tents, while most of the raiders slept in sleeping bags in the open air. The Shandorians were already starting to move, sharpening their weapons for the upcoming battle. The mood was grim and silent.

Genbo was sitting, cross-legged, on the ground, loading up one of his rare heavy metal cannonballs into his handheld cannon. Not far away from him, Braham was polishing his pistols, while letting the Flash Dials recharge in the morning sun. Wiper glanced around, noting that although many of the raiders were injured, few were severely so.

"Where is Aisa?" Wiper demanded finally. "I need to speak to her."

At once, Laki's expression turned to concern. "You can't. She's asleep."

"Then wake her up," he ordered gruffly. "I need to know how many people are on Upper Yard, and where."

She shook her head, and Wiper shot her a furious stare. "No. Aisa shouldn't be here," Laki continued angrily. "You know how she gets. Whenever there's a battle going on, Aisa suffers more than anyone. She '_hears_' everyone. She was screaming in pain yesterday. I had to _sedate_ her."

Wiper didn't respond. A vein bulged in Laki's forehead. "She's my cousin, Wiper, and I had to sedate her," Laki repeated, her heads trembling with rage. "If you want to face Enel, fine, but Aisa shouldn't be here."

Around them, the other raiders were starting to stare at the confrontation cautiously. Wiper took a long time to choose his words. "We all have to put up with pain," Wiper muttered coldly. "If she's a warrior of Shandia, then she will put up with it. Now. Wake. Her. Up."

Laki looked furious. "You don't understand," she muttered in a hushed voice. "It's not just about her being in pain. It's Enel. Aisa can 'hear' everyone on the island, but Enel… Enel can 'hear' _her_. And Enel talks a lot louder than anyone else. If she has to face Enel's presence again, so up close, well… I'm scared it might kill her."

Again, Wiper paused. His expression was unreadable. "If you don't wake her up, right now," Wiper muttered slowly, in a hushed voice. "Then _I_ will."

Laki had to stop the shiver going down her spine. _Wiper would never hurt Aisa_, she tried to herself, _Wiper looked after Aisa like a big brother_. Her cousin had always looked up to Wiper as a role model, despite Laki's constant objections.

Still… how far would Wiper go when he believed that the Shandia nation was at stake?

Without a word, Laki walked away. Laki pushed open the door of a tent, and Wiper glimpsed Aisa. The child was fast asleep, but sweating heavily and writhing restlessly. Wiper's fists clenched unwillingly.

"You haven't lost any of your _charm_, I see." A voice murmured coolly from behind him. "'_Chief'_."

Wiper turned, to see the old chief sitting on a log behind the tent, polishing his sword slowly. The old man looked almost unrecognisable without his staff and cowl. He had replaced his old purple and orange robes for battered, grey armour, and he carried a long sword expertly, with a second on his belt. _That's an ordinary blade_, Wiper noted distractedly. Most raiders used Dial-infused weapons, yet the chief had always been old-school.

"I will kill Enel before he can hurt anyone else!" Wiper snapped. "But I _need_ to know how many people are in Upper Yard."

The old chief just snorted. Wiper scowled.

"Old man," Wiper muttered roughly. He had been the chief for so long that Wiper honestly couldn't even remember his name. "You should be back in the village."

The old man scoffed. "Don't get too full of yourself. I've been killing Enforcers since before you were born. As a warrior of Shandia, this is where I have to be."

There was a flicker in Wiper's eyes. He really didn't want the old man to get hurt, but the words stuck in his throat. Any well-wishing just seemed too hollow. Instead, Wiper just grunted.

The old man chuckled humourlessly. "My time is done, anyways," the old man said quietly. "It looks like you're the new chief now. And who knows? Perhaps I really have been a fool, and perhaps a warlord is what our people need now."

"I'm fighting to reclaim our homeland, old man," Wiper snapped.

"You're fighting for a story I told you when you were a child, and for an ancestor that's long dead," he countered. "Calgara and Montblanc Noland. The Light of Shandora – _The Golden Bell_."

His words rung in the air. The old man looked at Wiper almost pityingly. "Tell me something, if you had to choose between the lives of everyone around you, your friends, your family; or ringing that bell and reclaiming the homeland, which one would you pick?"

"_Both_," Wiper growled angrily. "We will all reclaim the homeland together. The Golden Bell has been silent for too long."

_He really did believe it_, the old chief thought silently. _He believes every word of that story I told him, and he would fight to the end to honour an ancestor that died four hundred years ago. Perhaps that is my mistake too. I was the one who told him the tale._

"Alright then," the old man continued quietly. "Then let me ask you this… could you ever imagine a time when you no longer have to fight at all? Could you imagine putting down your bazooka for good?"

Wiper didn't respond. The chief looked at him with compassion. "That's the problem with 'Berserkers' and other men who live for war. Sooner or later, the war has to end. What are you going to do then?"

"This war hasn't ended for over four hundred years!" Wiper snapped.

He smiled sombrely. "You sound like you wish it will never stop. Would that really be a happy life for you, constantly fighting?"

_Yes_, Wiper almost replied. Wiper loved fighting. He loved the bloodlust. He loved the _rage_.

Instead, Wiper was silent as he turned his back on the old man. Just then, a raider came rushing out of the tent.

"Chief!" He called urgently.

"What?" Wiper and the old chief answered at the same time. There was a moment's pause, and then Wiper shot the old man a dirty look.

"What is it?" Wiper answered firmly.

"It's Aisa," the raider reported, casting a fleeting glance at the old man. "She's awake."

Wiper started moving quickly. Aisa was sitting up in her bed, with Laki's arms around her comfortingly. Aisa was crying. For all the girl tried to act tough, Wiper knew who fragile she really could be. Laki scowled at him darkly. Wiper felt his stomach clench.

"Aisa!" Wiper asked quickly. "I need your help here. Tell me, how many people are in Upper Yard?"

She snivelled weakly. "Lots… so many…"

His voice became stern. "Where? Where are priests, where is Enel –"

Aisa whimpered slightly. She was clutching her head in pain. Laki's grip on her tightened in alarm. "No… so many…" Aisa muttered, looking at Wiper fearfully. "…They're all going to die…"

Nobody moved or said a word. The atmosphere in the tent turned cold.

And that was when they heard it. The sound seemed to spread across the island slowly, resonating perfectly in the air. It was as beautiful and as golden as sunlight. The entire island seemed to freeze as the sound rung through the air.

The sound of morning.

* * *

As Enel woke, the devotees on God's Shrine rushed to serve him. Musicians played a soothing melody, servants presented fresh fruits and wine, and concubines offered their bodies for his pleasure. Enel waved them all away. He had no interest in such mortal desires.

Instead, he stared out over the forests of Upper Yard. From his position on top of the beanstalk, he could see everything. With his Mantra, he could see so much more.

Enel looked unhappy. Cautiously, Gode approached the God, careful of Enel's almost childlike mood swings.

"Your holiness," Gode bowed deeply. "How may I serve?"

"There aren't enough people dying," Enel muttered irritably, mostly to himself. "This game is getting boring."

Gode didn't respond. Enel rested his hand under his chin, musing quietly. He had been quite hopeful when he felt Shura die yesterday, but the night had been quite boring. Enel was quickly become annoyed. He stared at the rising sun thoughtfully, still hovering just above the horizon.

"I will be kind," Enel decided finally. "I will give them five hours."

He turned to Gode idly. "Go ready the Ark Maxim," he ordered, walking passed his servant distractedly. "In five hours I will leave this place, and everyone in the sky will be dead."

Gode was just about to bow and leave when he froze suddenly. He was a smart man after all, and there was something about the way Enel said that which made his blood run cold.

"Your holiness," Gode said cautiously. "I have served you loyally since the beginning."

Enel glanced at the beard Birkan with disinterest. "Yes, you've been acceptable," the God nodded, musing thoughtfully. "And I suppose that not all mortals are boring. I like the number four. I think I could accept four followers coming with me to Fairy Vearth. That's five survivors in total."

Gode didn't respond. Enel looked at him with mild realisation. "Oh yes. I suppose if you want to be among the survivors, you better go down there and compete in the game."

Gode's normally impassive face started to become panicked. He was no fighter. He would never survive long by himself.

"But your holiness…" Gode gulped. "I have never been anything but loyal to you. I have spent my life serving you…"

Enel thought about it for a few seconds. "Yes, you have," he conceded finally. "And I suppose it is a bit unfair to make you fight for your life below. Your loyalty deserves a reward."

The God smiled softly, extending his hand. Gode sighed with relief. "As a reward for your years of service," Enel drawled. "You have the honour of dying by the hand of God himself."

The servant never even had time to scream. The bolt of lightning burst from Enel's fingertips, squarely hitting him in the chest. It was over in a second. His body shuddered furiously from the lightning, yet there was so much power that Gode's body caught fire and charred black. By the time the corpse dropped to the ground, the body was completely unrecognisable.

The music in God's Shrine halted abruptly. All of the other devotees were staring at their God in shock and horror, as he calmly stepped over the smoking remains.

Enel glanced around the assembled servants. "Oh, very well," he resigned graciously. "I will kill you all too."

The lightning arced around his body. That was when the screaming started and the devotees tried to run. The servants closest to him were burnt into cinders before they could take a step, but most managed to flee away from God's Shrine.

Enel looked at the fleeing bodies with bemusement. He could easily hunt them done, but there was no point. _If they would reject my gift, then fine_, he decided finally, _they can all die in the forest instead_.

He took a couple of steps before he realised his mistake. "Damn it," Enel muttered with annoyance. "Now I'm coming have to prepare Ark Maxim myself."

He started at the charred body of his former chief of staff without emotion. Around him, the buildings were smoking from his lightning.

"Good help is so hard to come by…" Enel murmured irritably. His body transformed into lightning and burst upwards. Seconds later, he materialised further up the beanstalk, where the Ark Maxim sat waiting, like a dormant beast.

The ship was magnificent. It took an army of slaves years to build her, yet it was the only ship glorious enough for Enel himself. It was a colossus of fine wood and pure gold. Enel grinned as he shot a bolt of lightning into the mechanism, and slowly the propellers started to power up.

The Ark Maxim. The flying ship that would take him to Fairy Vearth.

Enel paused just in front of his throne, turning to stare at the newest addition of the Ark. During the first test flight, Enel had discovered something very curious at the very top of Giant Jack. Enel had desired for himself as soon as he laid eyes on it.

A golden belfry bell stood on the deck of his ship. The bell was at least four hundred years old, dirty, and covered in vines, but somehow it was still just as beautiful as ever. There was an aura of reverence around the golden bell, and Enel wondered curiously how many people it took to build such a magnificent structure. The gold was of the highest quality, and the carvings along the metal were incredibly detailed.

_This is the treasure that the Shandorians fought so hard to reclaim_, Enel thought with satisfaction. The old men of the island still spoke in hushed tones of the 'Song of the Island. A four hundred year war had been waged for this bell.

It was truly fit for a God.

Enel paused, glancing down towards Upper Yard below.

The Shandorians worshipped this bell. So did the Skypieans, in their own way. They still believed that the sound of the bell would mark the end of the war. They considered this bell to be a _holy_ object.

Enel's eyes narrowed. "_I_ am the only divine being in this world," he muttered to himself, spinning his staff as he stared at the bell suspiciously.

Previously, he had wanted to keep it for himself. All of a sudden, an idea struck him, and he could think of something better to do with this bell.

The God walked up to the bell slowly. _It really is beautiful_, he thought absentmindedly, just as he raised his staff and swung it towards the bell. The vibration caused the entire ship to shudder. Even after four centuries, the bell rang as perfectly as ever.

The sound rang outwards, so clear and a perfect it spread for miles. For the first time in centuries, the island sung.

* * *

Wiper was left speechless as the ringing echoed around, resonating from the top of Giant Jack. All of the Shandorians stopped and stared. None of them had heard the sound before, but it was so supernaturally beautiful that there was only one thing it could be. Stories had been told about this sound for decades.

"This…" The old chief choked, barely able to belief his ears. "This is… it is so beautiful…"

No one dared to raise their voices. The ringing was almost hypnotising.

"I never thought I would actually hear it…" Laki muttered quietly, glancing towards Wiper.

There were tears in Wiper's eyes.

The sound had been his dream for so long. And it was everything he had ever dreamt it would be.

The old chief was the first to realise what was missing. He glanced around the camp with confusion.

"Yet… _who's_ ringing it?"

* * *

As the sound spread over Upper Yard, the trees cracked as an enormous python raised its head, so large it towered over the forest. If it was possible for a snake to cry, then this snake was weeping now.

Its huge, serpentine body swayed as the sound brought back memories so long forgotten; of a time when it was small, and dancing beneath a golden bell and a beautiful ringing…

"Tsula…! Tsula…!" The python hissed madly, dancing through the air.

Birds were chirping madly around the snake. It seemed like the whole forest was dancing again to the sound.

* * *

Enel was laughing each time his staff struck against the bell. The bell was perfect. Its shape, its curves, its structure, was all designed to produce the clearest, most beautiful noise possible. It was more than just a bell; it was working of art.

"What a beautiful noise…" Enel muttered in appreciation.

Then, his staff started to crackle as he charged electricity through it. The next time it collided against the bell, everything exploded. And Enel really started to laugh.

He wasn't just destroying a bell. He was destroying something sacred. And he loved it.

It was _right_ as God to destroy everything.

His staff pierced straight through the belfry bell, and the sound shifted. The acoustics were ruined. It turned from a clear, perfect ringing, to a tortured, painful scraping that tore across the country.

* * *

"No…" Wiper muttered in absolute shock, as the beautiful ringing vanished. "No… how dare you…?"

The mood around the camp turned murderous. They were all battle-hardened warriors, and they were all crying. The noise was so painful it felt like their ears were bleeding, worse than nails on a chalkboard.

They all knew what they were listening to. They were all listening to the sound of a golden bell being destroyed.

"_How dare you_…" Wiper murmured, stumbling forward slowly. His heart was pounding like a cannon, and his blood was pouring through his muscles. The shock was quickly overwhelmed by a rage the likes of which he had never felt before.

Wiper snatched up the God-Slayer quickly. This was rage on a scale he hadn't believed was possible.

"_How. Dare. You_…?" Wiper growled, his legs exploding into a furious sprint. He didn't care about anything anymore. Whatever pain or tiredness he felt was suddenly gone.

The only thing he wanted was to watch Enel die.

"_HOW DARE YOU_!?"

* * *

Enel was laughing like a maniac even as he pulverised the bell into pieces. What was left couldn't even be called a bell anymore. It was barely anything more than a hulk of molten metal.

The God stared out over the island. The whole forest seemed to be writhing in agony, shock, and anger. Enel just laughed.

"_Now_ the game has begun!" Enel proclaimed triumphantly, just as thunder split through the sky.

* * *

The skipper quietly cut through the Milky Road. Around them, floating orbs bounced around the forests idly. The Devil fruit hunters were completely silent as the noise bled out around them.

"Well, that was weird," Marcus exclaimed happily. "I wonder what that noise was about."

Neither Berrit nor Isaac replied. Both of them were staying as far from Marcus as the small boat would allow. Marcus' shirt was still coated in dried blood from last night.

"So, what was this place called again?" Marcus asked cheerfully, looking around the forest and the floating balls of cloud. "The Ordeal of Orbs or something? Any ideas what that means?"

Marcus was in very happy mood. Generally, if Marcus was in a good mood, then it meant that a lot of people were dead, and even more people were about to die. Right now, Berrit and Isaac were in survival mode, and just trying to stay alive.

_It's a pretty good job being a Devil fruit hunter_, Isaac told himself repeatedly. The money was great and you got to travel. _The only downside is that I have to share a boat with a psychopath_…

Slowly, a childish laugh echoed through the trees. "Welcome to my Ordeal of Balls. Ho, ho, hoooo! I am Satori of the Forest! You are facing God's Judgement!"

A large, rotund man burst from the trees, hovering on a floating ball. Berrit and Isaac gave him one look and then turned away.

Satori started to look a bit annoyed as the ship just kept sailing by him with no consideration. "Oi! Don't ignore me, you bastards!" Satori demanded loudly. "This is a _trial_!"

"Have you seen my earplugs anywhere?" Isaac asked Berrit quietly, without even glancing towards the priest. "I suspect I'm going to need them…"

Satori's face flushed. "Bastards…" he growled, before kicking a ball of cloud towards them angrily. "Don't ignore me…"

As the cloud flew towards the ship, it exploded in a small fireball. Still, there was no damage. Marcus was suddenly standing at the edge of the skipper, the air shimmering as he absorbed the explosion.

"Oh, don't worry," Marcus grinned. "_I'm_ not ignoring you."

His smile was predatory. Satori laughed, dancing between the balls and hovering in the air. "Oh! You look like a tough guy!" He said teasingly. "I am one of the Almighty God Enel's priests! Welcome to the forbidden holy land, Upper Yard. In the Lost Forest, the chance of survival is eleven percent!"

"Eleven percent?" Marcus mused. "Trust me; your chance isn't as high as _that_. You're funny guy."

The air started to shimmer around him. "That's why I'm going to take my time with you," he grinned.

Even Satori seemed to falter slightly. "Don't underestimate me!" The priest roared, spinning as he launched his balls towards Marcus. The clouds exploded into everything from vicious animals to spears. Marcus stood perfectly still, arms crossed, and never seemed to notice any of them. The air shimmered and the explosions just shredded away around him.

"So, you're a priest?" He asked, almost conversationally, while Satori continued his salvo of explosive clouds. "I've never been one for religion, personally. I have, however, always had a very strong interest in biology. It's something of a _hobby_."

Behind him, Isaac was continuing to search for his earplugs. Marcus jumped off the skipper and started to walk casually towards Satori, much to the priest's annoyance.

"So you have a weird power…" Satori chided, still bouncing between balls. Suddenly, he rebounded of a nearby tree and plummeted straight to the ground, arm outstretched. "So what!"

Satori's huge body dropped like a stone, faster than the eye could follow. His arm suddenly thrust towards Marcus. "Impact!" Satori screamed, just as a burst of pressure exploded from his palm.

The air shimmered around Marcus and the force disappeared. Marcus tilted his head and looked at Satori like he was an idiot. Satori's mouth dropped open. Around him, the ground had been gouged from the shockwave, yet Marcus seemed completely unharmed.

"That's cute," Marcus muttered, amused. "_My_ turn."

His arm flashed forward. Satori knew the attack was coming, and tried to absorb it using his Impact Dial. He might as well have tried to block a tornado with a piece of paper. Marcus' fist exploded as it approached, and the shockwave sent Satori flying backwards, landing roughly against a tree trunk. The Impact Dial in his palm overcharged and exploded.

Marcus started strolling towards him, slowly. The shimmering around him started to increase. "Right, so where was?" Marcus mused to himself, while Satori struggled to pick himself up again. "Oh yes! _Biology_!"

The priest tried to pull himself to his feet, but he was coughing up blood. With one attack, Marcus had shredded through his clothes and skin. Satori's hat and goggles were ruined, while he clutched his stomach in pain, gasping loudly.

"Did you know?" Marcus continued conversationally. "That I actually took an apprenticeship in medicine a while back?"

Satori was swaying slightly, struggling to remain focused on his Mantra through the pain. They were covered in the shadows of the forest, and Marcus' eyes glinted almost hungrily. With the sun rising in the distance, it looked like the horizon was on fire.

Marcus' heavily shadowed eyes cut through Satori. His hair was dark, greasy and unkempt. His clothes were cheap and shredded, with stained blood coated over his body. Satori gulped unwillingly.

"You… you were a doctor?" The priest muttered, stumbling to his feet.

"A doctor?" Marcus scoffed. "Hell no!"

His grin widened even further. The air started to glow red. "_I'm a motherfucking chiropractor_."

With a blur of movement, Marcus' fist was suddenly buried into Satori's chest. The priest screamed in agony. Nearby trees collapsed from the impact.

"I really need my earplugs…" Isaac muttered desperately, searching up and down desperately as the sickening cry of agony hit the skipper.

Marcus was laughing as he jammed his knee into the writhing Satori. "Welcome to Musculoskeletal 101!" He proclaimed happily. Satori tried to struggle, but Marcus was too strong. "Did you know that bones are a lot less rigid than most people belief? They don't snap, so much as they eventually buckle. It's pretty amazing the amount of beating your skeleton can spring back from."

His knee forced the priest to the ground roughly. "As a matter of fact, the most brittle parts of the body are the _hands_…"

Marcus clutched both of Satori's wrists and squeezed tightly. There was a sickening crack, followed by a gut-wrenching scream. Berrit and Isaac both tried desperately to distract themselves.

Marcus never stopped smiling. "… and the _skull_!" He jammed both of his hands to either side of Satori's head. The priest was too delirious with pain to even beg for his life. The air started to shimmer as Marcus slowly increased the pressure.

"Now, the thing about is skull is there's all that brain fluid inside," he continued gleefully. "It really does make a difference. As you start to shred through the bone, there's just all that pressure on the inside…"

Satori's eyes looked like they were about to burst. There were no screams anymore, just desperate gasps of agony. "Well…" Marcus muttered happily. "I suppose it's like _popping a ball_…"

In the skipper, Berrit and Isaac both avoided eye contact with each other. The sound of a sickening squelch burst through the forest. A few minutes later, Dan '_The_ _Demonic'_ Marcus walked out of the trees, covered in a fresh layer of blood. He was whistling happily.

"I guess nobody told these guys…" Marcus muttered to himself. "_Demons_ eat _priests_ for breakfast…"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**I am now taking bets on who will be the last ones standing :)**

**Next chapter: 'Battle Royale'...**


	16. Chapter 16: Battle Royale

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I'm intending to challenge Eiichiro Oda to a duel for the ownership of One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Okay, deep breath...**_

_**Luffy and his crew are lost and separated in Skypiea. Vivi and Nami fight priest Ohm, then hospitalise his dog, escape when Vivi's injured; Sanji, Usopp and Chopper meet up with the pair later, get help from Conis' father, and try to find the Going Merry, on which Conis is being held captive by Yama, but she teams up with the disembodied spirit (?) of the ship itself; meanwhile Zoro ends up lost and wandering the island after escaping from marines shipwrecked on the sky, with the help of Tashigi, which Smoker is not very happy with, while Captain Hina leads the rest of the marines to restore order, but there's a big war between God Enel and his Enforcers and the Shandorian Raiders, being led by Wiper, which gets really bad when Enel destroys a sacred golden bell and makes the Shandorians a little bit upset. Also, Devil fruit hunters Berrit, Isaac and Marcus arrive on the island to kill everyone, aiming for Vivi and Enel particularly, and as well as that Luffy and Robin end alone and sleeping together while everything is about to collide at the giant beanstalk in Upper Yard...**_

* * *

**Chapter 16: Battle Royale**

The dull groan scraped through the trees. It was the sound of metal being shredded by a huge amount of force. Luffy could practically feel the forest writhing in agony as the sound filled the air. Next to him, Robin was staring upwards at the giant beanstalk with a look of concern.

"The golden bell…" Robin muttered quietly. There were ruins across the island, all referring to a golden bell, the centre of the ancient Shandorian culture. The back of her neck started to tingle. As an archaeologist, she had developed a near-supernatural sense for when a piece of history was in danger.

But it was more than that. The language of the ruins was far too similar to the poneglyth language for it to be a coincidence. With every ruin she found littered across the jungle, Robin started to reach an inescapable conclusion; there was a poneglypth somewhere on this island. With that knowledge, and the feeling that she was listening to a piece of history being destroyed, a cold dread crept over her body.

Even as the sound faded away, it seemed to linger in the air. Luffy glanced around the forest anxiously, while goose bumps ran down his body. He couldn't quite explain the feeling, but there was the sudden realisation that this forest wasn't a safe place to be anymore.

"Robin," he said softly, gently letting go of her hand. "You go on ahead. I'll stay here and make sure no one follows."

She frowned. "Who's following us?"

"I don't know," he admitted awkwardly, unable to describe his feeling of foreboding with words. It was faint, barely decipherable, but persistent. "I just… I just think that this is going to get very violent very quickly."

She didn't respond for a few seconds. In the distance, there was sound of angry screaming, rapidly getting closer. It was the sound of war cries.

Luffy glanced towards the trees, before turning to stare at Robin earnestly. "Please, Robin," he said quietly. "I promise that I will catch up with you. I just need to handle this."

Robin's instinctive protest died in her mouth when she saw Luffy's expression. Around, them the sound of screaming echoed through the trees. _Trust my captain_, Robin thought quietly.

"Alright," the archaeologist nodded. "I'll go on and look for the others."

He smiled brightly, looking at her with relief. Robin pulled in close and gently pecked her lips against his. The feeling was still so new, so strange, that it made their hearts race.

"Promise you'll stay safe," Robin muttered. "And catch up with me soon."

Luffy nodded, watching her walk away briskly with a longing look. His stomach clenched uncomfortably, even as he turned to face the incoming screaming.

Through the trees, Luffy glimpsed dozens of men, all wearing tribal clothing and shooting through the air on trails of white cloud. They all were carrying weapons, and looked furious. Furious enough to slaughter anyone in their path.

The pirate took a deep breath, and cracked his knuckles slowly. Eventually, he would have to sort out his feelings for Robin, but right now it just became very simple. There were enemies coming.

And they wouldn't be going any further.

* * *

"Alright, this is a very important question. You will answer it quickly and quietly." Zoro growled darkly, clutching his defeated enemy by his collar. "_Which direction is north_?!"

A flash of puzzlement flickered through Captain McKinley's bloody face. He had lost his white beret on the ground, and his face was heavily bruised. His white uniform was ruined by bloody slash down his chest that was still oozing blood; it was a shallow cut, but still painful. Around them, the other White Berets were littered across the earth, either unconscious or moaning with pain.

Feebly, McKinley raised a hand and pointed towards the forest. "That way…"

Zoro nodded approvingly, drawing an arrow on the back of his hand with the letter 'N'. The fundamental problem with doing so never seemed to occur to him. Already, he had shifted slightly, and 'north' was now pointing in the wrong direction.

"Ok," The swordsman muttered, furrowing his brow in concentration. The bloodthirsty demon that had singlehandedly defeated the White Berets was gone; replaced by a man who was trying to tackle a very difficult concept. "And what is in the north direction?"

McKinley looked at Zoro confusedly. His interrogator was quite clearly insane. "Um… Well, there's Giant Jack – the beanstalk, God's Shrine and the Ruins of Penance…"

Zoro nodded, repeating the places under his breath quietly. He looked like he was trying to prepare for an exam, and would have made a list if he had the paper.

"Next question," Zoro demanded. "Which direction is _east_?"

The captain stared for a long time. Zoro's grip on his collar never slackened. "Are you… _lost_?" The captain croaked.

Zoro looked momentarily flustered. His clothes were tattered and covered in blood, and he was covered in bite marks and scratches from walking around aimlessly all night. He had rapidly went from being 'a little bit annoyed' to full-blown _aggravated_.

"I'm not lost. All of this geography is in the wrong place!" Zoro snarled. "Now just answer the question."

McKinley paled, glancing around at the bodies of his men lying around him. The White Berets had fought hard, but they had still barely lasted a minute against the swordsman. "You mean you attacked us just because you needed _directions_?" McKinley gasped.

The swordsman refused to be embarrassed. "Hey! _You_ were the one that tried to arrest me."

The White Berets had been called into Upper Yard to try to enforce the law and capture the freed prisoners, but McKinley had done everything in his power to be as unsuccessful as possible. Despite the fighting, and the Shandorian raiders hunting for blood and the Enforcer squads on the warpath, the White Berets had done their best to stay as far away from the chaos as possible. It had been working until Zoro stumbled onto their camp. First there was a weak but mandatory attempt from McKinley to arrest Zoro, followed by a whole bunch of screaming from the White Berets.

_Admittedly_, Zoro conceded, glancing around the devastated camp, _I might have overreacted a bit. But I was in a very bad mood._

There was a groan of pain from one of the nearby White Berets. Nobody appeared to be dead, but they were all suffering long slash marks across their body. Zoro never appeared to have even exerted himself as he cut through the men. McKinley gulped, before deciding that the swordsman was clearly insane.

For the next half an hour, the captain described the geography of Upper Yard. He explained the landmarks and how to traverse through the forest, he described the Milky Roads, and he described the shape of the island. Zoro listened intently through it all, and then McKinley gave him precise, easy, step-by-step instructions on how to reach Angel Island from their current location.

Zoro nodded, thanked the captain for his help, before standing up and walking in the complete wrong direction. As he watched the swordsman's complete and utter ignorance, McKinley face-palmed and collapsed into a heap.

It was half an hour later before Zoro realised that he was walking in circles again. He frowned as he stared at the notes he made on his wrist, which were already completely illegible from sweat.

"This doesn't make any sense," he growled to the empty forest, glancing around at the trees. At this point, he was sure he had walked a perimeter around the whole island. Several times. "Everything is in the wrong place…"

His fist broke through a nearby tree trunk with frustration. From above in the canopy, there was a chirping that sounded annoyingly like laughter. After a few minutes, Zoro reached the only possible conclusion. "That bastard captain must have lied to me," Zoro mumbled, before picking a random direction and starting to walk.

A furious scream burst through forest, followed by a dull thud as a tree collapsed. Zoro's hands were instantly on his swords, just as an explosion cut through the air. A man dressed in white robes with floppy ears, a priest, screamed in pain as the impact knocked him roughly into a bloody heap on the ground.

There was another priest trying desperately to flee away, his body scorched and burnt. The priest barely made it three steps before a figure materialised in front of him, swinging a heavy metal weapon downwards with so much force it caused bones to snap. It was a brutal and instant attack, knocking the priest straight into the ground.

All three swords were unsheathed and ready. The man in front of Zoro was panting heavily as he heaved his huge bazooka back over his shoulder. The raider turned to stare at the swordsman with undiluted fury.

"_You_…" Wiper growled, his hands trembling from rage. "You are trespassing on this island…"

Zoro grunted, his eyes narrowing. "Trust me; I'm trying my best to get out of here."

"I don't care," Wiper snarled, twisting the bazooka towards Zoro. "Everyone on this island will die!"

There was far too much rage pulsing through Wiper's body for any hesitation or reason. Wiper wanted to hurt Enel. He longed to see Enel's bloody and broken body. His body craved the sound of Enel's screaming as the God begged for mercy, but Wiper would never give any. That golden bell had been Wiper's dream, and Enel had taken it from him.

And so Wiper would make Enel's death slow and brutal. The murderous intent was pouring off the raider, so powerful that it even made Zoro pause.

As far as Wiper was concerned, anyone between here and God's Shrine was a substitute for Enel. The rage consumed him, and his primal instincts demanded blood _right now_. There was no restraint left. Not after what Enel had done.

Wiper had already left the rest of the Shandorians behind, not that he cared. Wiper had always preferred fighting alone anyways. It made easier to go a little bit berserk.

"You want a fight?" Zoro growled, too annoyed to back down from anything. His swords cut through the air as he dropped into a fighting stance. "Fine. But this damn island is really pissing me off – so I'm in a bad mood!"

Wiper's cigarillo dropped to the ground. With a click, he loaded another round into his bazooka. The black metal nozzle of the God-Slayer seemed to gleam hungrily.

"A 'bad mood'…?" Wiper repeated, his voice cracking with anger as he pulled the trigger. Zoro barely had time to dive for cover before a violent inferno of blue flames burst from the nozzle.

The fire burnt straight through a nearby tree and turned it to cinders. The explosion caused the foliage to catch light. Wiper's eyes gleamed into the flickering flames.

"_Me_?" The raider muttered darkly. "I'm the _king_ of bad moods!"

_**Zoro vs Wiper**_

* * *

Usopp squinted as he stared into the distance. It was hard to see through the fog and the trees, but slowly his keen eyes managed to make out the outline of a ship sitting in a swamp in the distance.

"I can see her!" Usopp proclaimed loudly, his voice thick with relief. "The Going Merry is down there!"

Nami nearly collapsed in relief. Chopper was holding Nami's hand tightly for support. Behind her, Sanji was eagerly helping Vivi climb up the steep cliff. They were all panting, tired, and exhausted. The vague outline of their ship in the distance was a huge morale booster.

The group had followed a thick Milky Road over the forest, and had to climb up a small mountain just to traverse the dense jungle. There was a narrow, treacherous ledge carved into the cliff face running along the Milky Road, heading straight down towards a swampy lake. From their vantage point, the jungles of Upper Yard stretched out beneath them. There were ancient ruins littered all over the place, half-hidden by thick vines and overgrown vegetation.

"That's not far away!" Nami panted excitedly. "We can be there in a hour, max!"

Usopp was grinning madly at the thought. They were all tired, but the sniper seemed to have the most energy when it came to reaching the Going Merry.

"And after that?" Sanji asked curiously. Carue was busy struggling to flap up the unstable cliff. For much of the journey, Carue carried the injured Vivi, but the duck was now having difficulty with the narrow paths and loose stones.

"We've get the ship, then we can sail round the island looking for the others," Nami said firmly. "And then we can all get out of here as soon as possible."

Usopp looked revving to go. The others were still trying to catch their breaths after the climb. "We need to get moving! The Merry is waiting for us!" Usopp shouted encouragingly.

No one moved. Usopp sighed in despair. "Nami, all of your treasure is still on the Merry," Usopp added. "And Sanji, just think how Conis would react if you saved her…"

Nami was instantly alert. Sanji seemed to revitalise instantly. "Let's go!" The chef ordered, marching forward at a brisk pace.

"My money is in danger!" Nami squealed. "Come on, Vivi, we have to move. Get Sanji to carry you if you can't keep up."

"Yes!" Sanji shouted triumphantly, rushing to a confused Vivi eagerly. "Please, let me carry you!"

Carue scrambled upwards and pushed Sanji away from Vivi protectively. The two of them looked ready to come to blows, but Vivi was busy staring out behind them at the valley below.

"Umm… guys?" Vivi bit her lip nervously. "We've got a problem…"

Everything died down as they all turned to stare. The sound of heavy footsteps marching in uniform filled the air. Nami gulped. Sanji's eyes narrowed. Chopper squealed.

Behind them, waves of men in white uniforms were pouring out of the forest. The valley was directly below the Milky Road, yet it was heading in the same direction. There were hundreds of marines marching through, all armed with rifles. Nami even glimpsed the large shapes of cannons being dragged with them.

"Marines?" Nami gasped, staring at the small army of men. "What are marines doing here?"

"Same thing we are," Sanji realised slowly, lighting a cigarette. "They're following the Milky Roads around the island."

Vivi's eyes opened in shock. "But that means…" She stammered. "The Milky Road is the only way to take the Merry _out_ of the lake. If they realise we're here and get into formation…"

Her voice trailed off nervously. "They could trap us with cannon fire and make it impossible to escape," Nami finished. "We'd be sitting ducks trying to sail up the Milky Road."

Chopper squealed and hugged Nami's leg tightly, Carue rushed to Vivi for support, while Usopp cast a nervous glance towards the Going Merry. Sanji sighed with resignation.

"Someone is going to have to distract them…" Sanji muttered thoughtfully.

There was a moment's silence. The chef turned to stare at Usopp meaningful. The sniper stammered in nervous shock. "_You mean me_?" Usopp gulped.

"Usopp," Sanji said, with total seriousness. "Take one for the team. Sacrifice yourself for the ladies."

The sniper paled fearfully. Nami stared at the marines thoughtfully. There were at least two hundred of them, but more kept on pouring out of treeline. At this height, it was impossible to make out any details; they were simply a sea of white. They were moving quickly for such a large group. Still, the valley below became so narrow that they could only walk ten across. It might be possible for one strong person to hold the entire army back while they recovered the Going Merry.

Nami cast a critical look over their group. Usopp was instantly out of the question. Chopper was reliable enough in a fight, but the reindeer lacked any sort of fighting spirit. Vivi and her Sand Sand fruit powers might be able to do it, but she was already injured and, besides, the marines were sure to have Seastone weaponry.

Nami turned towards Sanji, who was still arguing with Usopp. "Sanji," Nami interrupted. "You have to stay here and hold the marines back for us."

A pained expressed flickered over the chef's face. "But… Conis…" he mumbled, motioning desperately towards the ship. "She's…"

Nami repressed a groan. "Sanji," Nami repeated in her sweetest voice. "Would you please do me a huge favour and stay here and _protect_ us?"

Sanji blinked repeatedly. Nami idly wondered how thick she could lay it on. "I would be _ever_ so grateful," Nami said with fake sweetness, smiling coyly. For extra emphasis, she held her arms up in such a way that her breasts pushed together.

It worked like a charm. The cigarette dropped out of Sanji's open mouth. The chef was nothing if not predictable. The last time Nami messed with him like this she had ended up with a five course gourmet meal delivered to her room. In the middle of the night.

Vivi couldn't help but giggle. Usopp sighed, muttering under his breath, "How could anybody be so simple…?"

Sanji dropped to his knee, staring at Nami with wonder. "Of course, my lady," he wooed. "It would be my honour to do your bidding!"

Nami grinned, winking at Vivi discreetly. "My hero!" She gushed, throwing her arms around Sanji tightly. His cheeks turned bright red. "Promise me you'll hold the marines back until we get back?"

"I will! I will!" Sanji shouted furiously, his heart pounding as his body revved into fighting mode. "I will fight to the last breath for you!"

They were already turning to leave. Usopp looked eager to leave Sanji behind. Chopper just appeared confused. Vivi was blushing madly at Nami's shameless flirting.

Sanji looked like his dream had come true. Feeling emboldened, Nami even went so far as to kiss him on the cheek. Sanji gasped for air.

"Oh, _thank_ you!" Nami cooed, walking away briskly, before adding in a more serious tone. "Remember, hold the marines back."

"I will hold back hell itself for you!" Sanji roared, leaping up and down excitedly. He could feel his blood starting boil. His body looked like it was fire. "I will _never_ let you down!"

He watched Nami and Vivi walk away appreciatively. Sanji never seemed to hear Nami whisper to Vivi quietly, "… And _that's_ how you get a slave."

Sanji was shaking as they left his line of sight, and he turned to watch the marines still marching up the valley. "She needs me," Sanji whispered quietly, before screaming furiously. "Nami _needs_ me!"

With a furious leap, Sanji jumped downwards off the cliff. The air rushed by him, but he could hardly hear it over the sound of his pounding heart. Sanji's strong, lean legs landed firmly on the ground below.

Already, the marines were reacting to his sudden presence. He saw rifles being loaded and brandished as the wave of men charged closer, but Sanji didn't care.

"Come!" He roared maniacally, throwing his arms up. The marines just kept on rushing towards him. "Come and face me! I am a soldier of _love_! I will beat you all back before I allow you to pass!"

Sanji's legs were twitching in anticipation. It had been a long time since he had felt so fired up. "I will face down hell itself!" He proclaimed. "I will repel legions of demons and hordes of monsters! There is no force on heaven or earth that will get by m–"

With a strangled choke, Sanji's voice cut off as he suddenly recognised the distinctive pink blond hair leading the column of marines. His eyes widened in shock and dread.

Standing at the front of the marines, walking briskly as her hips swayed side to side, Captain Hina stared coolly towards Sanji while she pulled on her gloves.

Sanji's knees instantly went weak. The previous fire died away as quickly as it had come. The chef gulped.

"Oh _shit_…"

_**Sanji vs Hina**_

* * *

With a grumble, Yama staggered out of the men's room and climbed onto the deck of Going Merry. His huge body was so large that he barely fit through doors. He hadn't managed to get much sleep. The ship had proved to be as troublesome to sleep in as it was to sail. The rooms were too small, the beds were uncomfortable, and hull somehow managed to creak even when the ship was still on a lake.

Yama had been planning on making the ship a gift to God Enel. Now, he was seriously starting doubt whether he should even bother. It would be disrespectful to present Enel with such an inferior ship as this.

In the swamp, it was still gloomy as the thick canopy blocked the sunlight. The lake was covered in a light fog, while vines dangled down from above. Yama lit a lantern at the prow of the ship, illuminating the ruins that towered eerily over the centre of the lake.

The commander was frowning angrily as he pulled the sails down. The mast seemed to jam as he yanked the ropes down, and the wood groaned with protest. It took a considerable amount of effort just to unfurl the sails, yet then the light wind hit the boat and the Going Merry started to sway.

As Yama tried to pull the anchor up, the knot almost seemed to resist as he tried to untangle it. _The rope must have got wet during the night and expanded_, Yama told himself, his beefy fingers struggling to untie the rope. After a few minutes, he ended up just snapping it.

"What a piece of trash ship," Yama grumbled, pulling the sails until the Going Merry started to move sluggishly through the water. Around the ship, sharks circled almost expectantly. Yama stood by the rudder, but it seemed to jam constantly. The commander was already irritated, and his patience was rapidly failing. After a few minutes, he reached a decision.

"Devotee!" Yama shouted to Conis, below deck. The fat man had never bothered to remember her name. "Come out now!"

It took a long time for Conis to emerge. She barely made a sound as she slowly stepped out on to deck. Yama didn't even glance around at her.

"There have been too many delays already," Yama ordered brashly. "And I am needed at God's Shrine. I will leave this worthless ship here, and make the rest of the journey by foot. You will join me. Make preparations."

Conis didn't respond. She was breathing deeply and trembling, but Yama was far too obnoxious to pay her any attention. The commander stomped onto the deck in disgust, his foot breaking through a plank. Yama grunted. "What a useless vessel," he mumbled bitterly, under his breath. "It would be shaming to present the Almighty Enel with this ship…"

Conis never made a move. For the first time, Yama glanced at her. "Did you hear me, woman?" Yama snapped. "I told you to make preparations. You must be at your best when I give you to Lord Enel, so he may judge if you are worthy. We will be leaving within the –"

"No." Conis' voice was a whisper, but somehow clearly audible. Around them, the sharks started to squirm.

Yama's beady eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?" He asked coldly.

"No," Conis repeated, her voice growing more firm. "'We' will not be going anywhere. _You_ will leave this ship alone. You will exit this ship quietly and walk away, and I will never have to see you again."

The commander was perfectly quiet for a few seconds, before drawing himself up to his full size. The man was huge; a giant, sweaty wall of muscle and fat. Despite herself, Conis couldn't help but flinch. She was skinny, slender and timid; a complete opposite to Yama.

"You _dare_ to give me orders?" Yama growled coldly, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

Conis gulped, but forced herself to stand her ground. "Yes," she muttered, meeting Yama's eyes. Her body was trembling furiously. She had to struggle to say the words. "Get. The. _Hell_. _Off_. This. _Ship_."

"And if I refuse?" Yama demanded, taking a step closer to her. His shadow towered over her. "What happens then?"

Quivering, she slowly pulled her hands from behind her back. She was wielding a knife, a large cooking blade, which Conis pointed at Yama's stomach hesitantly. The commander raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem the least bit concerned.

"Heresy!" Yama snarled, cracking his knuckles slowly. His arms were short and skinny compared to his body, but still well-muscled. "I gave you the chance to serve God himself. Is this how you repay me?"

Conis' heart was pounding so furiously it was hard to even hear him. Her arms were twitching. "I will never go to Enel," she muttered through gritted teeth. "And you will never hurt this ship again."

"This ship?" Yama snorted derisively. "This piece of crap, worthless ship?"

A flash of anger burst exploded in Conis' eyes. Around them, the mast and the hull creaked ominously. _Just the wind_, Yama told himself.

"Do not insult the Going Merry," Conis whispered, the knife still trembling in her hands.

Yama grunted. His nose was dripping snot disgustingly. "If you care so much about this ship…" Yama muttered slowly, carefully reaching out to the lantern at the prow of the boat. With a single finger, he gently knocked the lantern off its hook. "…Then you can watch it burn!"

Conis gasped in shock as the lantern broke across floor. The lamp oil spilled everywhere and exploded into flames. Within seconds, the deck of the Going Merry was alight.

And then there was Yama, charging towards her in a blink of an eye. With ease, he grabbed the knife out of her hands, and then slammed a huge fist straight into her stomach.

_**Conis vs Yama**_

* * *

Usopp staggered as he raced down the cliff path. The stones underfoot were loose and treacherous, while the narrow ledge snaked around the mountain. The Milky Road ran alongside; a floating lane of white cloud hovering in the air.

"Come on!" Usopp shouted encouragingly. "Faster!"

"Oh, shut up!" Nami grumbled, struggling to keep her footing. Next to her, Chopper was in his reindeer form while Nami held out to his antlers for support. Trailing behind, Vivi was resting over Carue, while the duck marched forward determinedly.

"But it's so close!" Usopp whined, motioning madly to the shape of the Going Merry. It was still barely visible in the fog and gloom, but much closer. The Milky Road led them straight to it. "Our ship needs us!"

"Then why don't you go ahead?" Nami muttered irritably.

Usopp faltered. "But what if there are enemies on the ship?"

The ledge widened into a large, rocky plateau. Nami sighed in relief and exhaustion, pausing while she panted deeply. Even Carue was looking tired from the hard march.

"So you're scared," Nami teased.

"I'm not scared!" Usopp protested loudly, all evidence to the contrary. "I'm never scared! I'm the great warri…"

Everyone seemed to ignore him as his voice trailed off. From the corner of his eye, Usopp glimpsed a dark shape on top of the Milky Road, just out of sight. Slowly, Usopp staggered forward, walking around the bend to get a good look.

It was a ship; a small, single mast ship anchored to the cliff face while it floated on the Milky Road. The hull was narrow and flat, sitting low in the cloud. It was a skipper. It took Usopp a few seconds before he realised that he recognised the vessel.

He gulped nervously. "Uhhh…" The sniper stammered, while the possibilities raced through his head. None of them were good. "…I think you should see this!" He called loudly to the pirates behind him.

There was no response. As a matter of fact, everything had turned deadly quiet. Usopp was shivering with fear as he slowly turned around. "Why is no one talking anymore?" Usopp muttered in a panicked whisper.

Nami, Vivi, Chopper and Carue were all standing perfectly still, staring, almost entranced, at something to the side. None of them were moving.

"Nami?" Usopp rushed over to her with quiet fear, grabbing her shoulders roughly. "Nami! What's happening?!"

She struggled to focus on him. Her face contorted in confusion. "Usopp…?" Nami muttered slowly. She seemed severely dazed. "What's happening? Where are we?"

At that moment, Usopp recognised the reflection in her eyes. There was bright blue light coming from the other side of the plateau. Usopp's mind whirred. His heart started pounding. He didn't dare look round.

"Everyone!" Usopp shrieked, throwing his hands up to cover Nami's face. "_Close your eyes right now!_"

Suddenly, a huge shadow towered over him from behind him. Usopp's knees turned into jelly.

"Hello, there," Berrit said with an evil grin, cracking his knuckles. In an instant, Usopp was struck by just how _big_ the man was. "Remember me?"

The sniper tried to dive for cover. Berrit was faster. Hands the size of dinner plates struck out and engulfed Usopp's skull tightly, his long nose pressing into Berrit's palm. Without any apparent effort, Berrit lifted Usopp off the ground with only one arm. Usopp tried to thrash and struggled, but Berrit's body was as hard as stone.

"The last time we met…" Berrit continued over Usopp's muffled screams. "You did some things that I bet you thought were _funny_."

Usopp's heart was pounding like drum. He was trying to scream at the top of his lungs, but Berrit's grip around his skull was too tight. "Somehow, I doubt you're goddamn laughing now," Berrit growled. "Let's start small. _Two hundred pound stomp!_"

The force shot down from the palm of his hand. Usopp's whole body felt like it being crushed together. He thrashed for a second, and then stopped moving. Usopp was gagging from the blood filling up his mouth.

Around him, the rest of the crew were still hypnotised by the glowing blue light.

"Still alive?" Berrit grinned. "How about this? _Four hundred pound stomp!_"

The air waved as the force pulsed downwards. A circular impression appeared on the ground below him. Usopp's nose snapped. Berrit was growling.

"I can still go goddamn higher!" He shouted. "_Six hundred pound stomp!_"

Usopp's body collapsed to the ground. His head was spinning so widely it was hard to focus. His body felt like it had been pulverised.

"Will you get a move on?" Isaac muttered angrily. His voice sounded strained, and annoyed. His eyes were glowing blue light furiously. "I can't keep this up for very long."

"Alright, alright!" Berrit muttered. He pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his pocket, holding them gingerly, before snapping the handcuffs around Vivi's wrists. The princess was too dazed to even resist.

Usopp gasped in shock, trying to scream. With a relief sigh, the bright glow in Isaac's eyes disappeared. "This is the ultimate power of the Daze Daze fruit," Isaac explained wearily. "I make people so dazed they forget where they are, and how to fight back." He rubbed his eyes and massaged his head painfully, before admitting, "Although it does give me one hell of a migraine."

Once the blue light disappeared, the other pirates were starting to recover. Nami was glancing around in shock, blinking repeatedly. "Nami!" Usopp shrieked, pulling himself off the ground despite aching bones. "Come on, we've got to fight back right no–"

"Huh?" Nami exclaimed with obvious confusion. She barely had a chance to move before Berrit appeared in front of her. "What just happened?"

"You've just _lost_," Berrit muttered, slamming his hand over Nami's forehead. "_Horizontal stomp!_"

The impact hit her from the front. Nami never even had time to scream before the force suddenly pushed her backwards, taking her off her feet. In a second, Nami was flying through the air, before suddenly tumbling off the cliff. Usopp could only scream as he saw Nami rolling roughly down the rocky side, bumping into trees and vines before disappearing roughly into the foliage below.

The tears started to swell in Usopp's eyes. He drew his slingshot, before suddenly realising he was still out of ammo. _Smoke bombs_, Usopp thought desperately, glancing at Isaac. _I need smoke bombs to beat him…_

"Nami!" Vivi screamed in shock, thrashing useless against the Seastone handcuffs. Carue was recovering too, charging at Isaac in an angry head-butt.

Almost casually, Isaac drew a gun and shot Carue twice in the chest. The duck stumbled to the ground in pain and panic, while Isaac simply stepped at over him. Vivi shrieked in fear, just as Isaac levelled his pistol at her.

"Please be quiet, princess," he ordered, almost gently.

Chopper managed to pull himself together quite quickly. He went from scared and confused to angry and protective in an instant. Suddenly, the reindeer's body rippled as he transformed into his human form, an imposing figure of muscle, and charged at Isaac furiously.

"Don't you dare hurt my friends!" Chopper screamed, a furious fist heading slamming towards Isaac's head.

"Go Chopper!" Usopp screamed triumphantly, still patting down his pockets for whatever ammo he had left. "We'll take them down together! Get him!"

For half a second, Isaac was caught off-guard. Then, Isaac's eyes flashed an eerie blue and Chopper ended up swinging his fist two feet away from Isaac's head. The reindeer was blinking heavily, confused.

That was when Berrit appeared from behind. Berrit was at least a couple of feet larger than Chopper's Heavy point form, and twice as broad. Berrit's fist barrelled towards Chopper's face in the blink of an eye. The attack came in two stages; first there was knuckles colliding against skull with a dull thud, and then the air shimmered as Chopper's body was stomped into the rocky ground.

Chopper collapsed to the ground and stopped moving. Usopp's mouth dropped open. Vivi started to scream, until Isaac's black, polished shoe knocked her unconscious.

"Take that one too," Isaac ordered, while Berrit slammed another pair of handcuffs onto Chopper. "I'm sure that there are plenty of rich kids somewhere who would pay good money to make their pets human."

Usopp stared disbelievingly. Suddenly, he was the only one still conscious. His pulse was so slow it felt almost dead. His body was frozen with cold dread. His eyes were wide and bulbous as he stared at his fallen friends.

"…No…" Usopp gasped painfully through choked breaths. His legs weren't working properly. He couldn't even pull himself up off his knees.

Isaac glanced at him emotionlessly. "Hey, it's nothing personal," Isaac muttered, throwing his hands up innocently. "This is just our job. This is just _business_."

"It's a little bit personal," Berrit grumbled under his breath, casting a poisoned glance at Usopp.

"Alright, so it's mostly nothing personal," Isaac conceded. "Still, we're doing you a favour, really. Do you have any idea just _how many_ people out there would kill for a Logia Devil fruit? As soon as word got out about the princess' powers, there would be people lining up to take them."

Isaac cast an unsympathetic look at Vivi's unconscious body. "We're just the guys that got here first," he said with a shrug.

_I have no ammo left. I am outnumbered, and outclassed_, Usopp thought desperately, still clutching his useless slingshot. _And they are going to kill my friends_…

The tears swelled in his eyes. Berrit chuckled coldly, "What's the matter?" The large man grunted. "I thought you were the goddamn 'Brave Warrior of the Sea'?"

He walked towards Usopp slowly. The sniper tried to run, but his body wasn't working. Berrit's heavy boot slammed into his chest, taking his breath away and knocking him to the ground. The dirt covered his body.

"That's the problem with goddamn _liars_," Berrit muttered coldly. "Sooner or later, all those lies run out."

Usopp spat out blood on to the rocky ground. Berrit turned away in disgust. "You've been lying to yourself."

_Luffy will be here_, Usopp thought desperately, _or Zoro, or Sanji. They'll come in and save the day_…

"Will you hurry up and kill her already?" Isaac muttered irritably, pointing at Vivi.

Berrit frowned, already completely disregarding Usopp. "Why do I have to goddamn do it?"

"Because Marcus isn't here," Isaac replied coolly. "And I'm wearing a good suit. Blood splatters just don't wash out."

The large man looked irritated, but then took out a knife and walked towards Vivi. Usopp felt his heart stop. Time seemed to slow down.

_They'll be here_, Usopp promised himself, _someone will step forward and save everyone_…

Berrit took another step.

… _Luffy will come_, Usopp thought, despite the tears rolling down his face, _he always comes. He'll charge in, and rescue his friends. Luffy would fight to the end. He would never stop, never surrender, not while his precious people are in danger._

Usopp paused. Another step.

_No one was coming_.

…

_Oh no. _I'm_ going to have to be the hero this time_.

Usopp had no idea where he found the strength from. His body felt like it was broken to pieces, but somehow he managed to pull himself to his knees. Somehow he managed to charge at Berrit; his feet pounding faster than ever before.

"_Don't you dare turn your back on me_!" Usopp screamed, raising his leg upwards as he leapt at the large man with all the strength he had left. His foot slammed straight up and collided firmly with Berrit's crotch.

Despite the man's strength and size, _that_ caused Berrit to squeal in pain.

Isaac raised his gun. Somehow, Usopp was faster. Usopp's hand grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and launched towards Isaac, deliberately closing his eyes before taking aim. As the dirt stung his eyes and caused Isaac to stagger, Usopp's brought up fist and planted it directly into Isaac's nose. It was a weak blow, but enough to knock Isaac to the ground.

The tears were still streaming down Usopp's face, even as he took position in front of Chopper, Vivi and Carue. Panting heavily, Usopp brought out his hammer and clutched it tightly with both hands in front of him. His slingshot was left in his pocket. _I'm out of tricks, out of luck, and out of lies_, he thought, as the adrenaline pounded through his body. It felt like his blood was on fire. _It's time to find out what was true._

"I never lied," Usopp growled through gritted teeth. Both Berrit and Isaac recovered quickly from his surprise assault. "Every time I bragged, or called myself a brave warrior, it was never a _lie_."

His hands gripped his hammer so tightly his knuckles turned white. "It was always a _promise_!" Usopp screamed. "I _am_ the brave warrior of the sea, and if you surrender right now I _might_ just let you live!"

They were staring at him incredulously. His knees were shaking madly. Usopp didn't care. "Come on!" He challenged furiously. "I'll take you both on! And I'll do it with my eyes closed!"

_**Usopp vs Berrit and Isaac**_

* * *

"Oww…!" Nami groaned in agony, pulling herself weakly up out the brambles. Twigs and nettles stuck everywhere. Her body was cut, scraped and bruised, but at least the thorny bush cushioned her fall.

Around her, the forest buzzed with life. There were insects everywhere, and Nami could feel dozens of unseen, predatory eyes focused on her from the foliage. Still, Nami looked upwards toward the ledge, feeling a knot in her stomach.

The cliff was at least a hundred foot high. If it hadn't been for all the branches absorbing the impact, Nami would never have survived the fall. The long shadow of the Milky Road covered everything around her. Nami couldn't even hear what was happening up above.

"I've got to get back up," she muttered urgently, already starting to panic. The two Devil fruit hunters were tough. Vivi needed help.

Her legs stung with pain as she tried to stand up. There were so many twigs trapped in her orange hair that it resembled a bird's nest. Nami had to pull out her Clima-Tact and use it for support as she limped away. Her pulse was racing as she staggered forward.

"I've found you." A cold voice muttered from behind her. "Did you really think you could escape me?"

Nami's blood turned cold. There were calm, almost casual, footsteps walking up from behind her. The priest Ohm was staring at her coldly, his huge sword hung over his shoulder. Ohm was missing his sunglasses, but otherwise seemed completely unhurt.

Nami looked ready to flee. "I can feel your presence using Mantra," Ohm drawled. "There is nowhere you can hide. It is time for you to face _penance_."

She gulped. "Um… I'm already pretty repentant already…" Nami stammered nervously, backing away slowly. "Can't we just call it a draw? Live and let live?"

A vein bulged on Ohm's forehead. "Never."

Nami carefully unsheathed her sword, and started to spin the Clima-Tact with her other hand, but her hands were trembling. It had taken Vivi's Devil fruit powers to stop him the last time they'd fought. Now, Vivi was nowhere to be seen.

She attempted a smile. "I know that you want to 'free' people so we can all live happily when we're dead or something," Nami stuttered, as Ohm circled her like a shark. "But can't we just learn to get along? Tell me, do you have any pamphlets or anything on you because I'm really interested in converting–"

"This isn't about God's judgement!" Ohm snapped, anger breaking through his usually cool demeanour. "It's not about the rules, the Ordeals, or even my broken sunglasses!"

Nami gulped. A white, iron cloud blade slowly extended from the large handle. "No – I will kill you…" Ohm muttered angrily. "…because you hurt my _dog_!"

_**Nami vs Ohm**_

* * *

The marines filed out of the camp slowly, leaving behind only the very wounded and a small guard. Smoker never said a word. Tashigi didn't move. No one dared to come between them. Tashigi glimpsed Amazon quickly hobbling away. Everyone who remained in the camp gave Tashigi and Smoker a wide berth, but they were all staring at the confrontation intently.

"Tell me the truth," the captain said in a forcefully calm voice. "Is it true?"

Tashigi hesitated before she replied. That was all the answer Smoker needed. His eyes bulged furiously. Tendrils of smoke started to rise from his jacket.

"Damn it, Tashigi!" He bellowed loudly. He spat his cigar out of his mouth. "_Why_? Why would you?"

"It was the right thing to do," Tashigi replied, blinking back tears and forcing her voice to stay level.

"The 'right' thing?!" Smoker fumed. "Do you have idea what you've done? I've worked my ass of trying to reassure command that Alabasta was nothing more than a lapse in judgement. I've put my neck on the line for you over and over! And then you just went and made the exact same mistake _again_. Don't you understand that you are facing the _death penalty_ here?"

Tashigi didn't respond. Smoker grunted. "Hell, maybe I am too…" He murmured in a quieter voice.

"They don't deserve to die because of politics," Tashigi replied quietly.

Smoker grunted. "They're pirates," he said dismissively, eying Tashigi critically. "Or have you forgotten that?"

Tashigi's didn't reply. Smoker's voice turned quiet and cold. Somehow, that was even worse than when he was angry. "Tell me…" Smoker muttered. "What would you do? If you were in my position, if your top subordinate… hell, if your _friend_… was insistent on committing treason due to her own stubbornness, then what would _you_ do?"

Her response jammed in her throat. Tashigi could only stutter incoherently. Smoker nodded. "I thought so…"

He took a deep breath. When he spoke again, he was back in his officer's voice, firm and strict. "Lieutenant Tashigi," he proclaimed loudly. "As your commanding officer, you are hereby suspended and stripped of your rank indefinitely. You will remain in custody for the duration of this mission, after which you will be delivered to the proper authorities for judgement on your crimes."

Smoker's eyes narrowed. "Tashigi; you are _under arrest_."

Tashigi's heart pounded. She suddenly felt lightheaded. He had made his choice, and she made her hers.

"No, captain…" Tashigi muttered coldly. Her sword unsheathed with a sharp cut as she flourished the blade in front of her. "…I'm _not_."

_**Tashigi vs Smoker**_

* * *

In the distance, Robin could hear the screams of men fighting violently. It sounded like the whole island was bursting into war. She stood at the base of the giant beanstalk, staring at the ruins covering the cloud. Slowly, she felt a twinge of fear; not just for Luffy, but for all this history that might be lost in the fighting.

As an archaeologist, the destruction of history was something that she could not forgive.

"I've got to save what I can," Robin muttered to herself, casting a critical look around the ruins. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what she knew about the ancient culture. The architecture of the buildings around her seemed… off somehow, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

The cloud was soft and bouncy underfoot, while Robin took a trace of an ancient text engraved on a building. This island had been in the sky for a long time, but she was starting to suspect that it hadn't originated up here. Perhaps the knock-up stream could have launched a whole island…

Robin was so distracted as she inspected the ruins that she hardly noticed the footsteps walking behind her. It was only when she heard a muffled mumbling did she turn around to see a tall man in a dark black suit with wild dreadlocks sticking out of from his head. He was biting his lip while trying to speak, and slowly becoming red in the face.

After a few minutes of curious watching, pity overcame Robin. "You need to _open_ your mouth to speak," she said helpfully.

With a large of gasp of breath, the man finally managed to speak. "Oh, how careless!" He gasped. He tried to step forward, but ended up falling down face first into the cloud.

Robin sighed. "Don't lift both your feet at the same time when you walk," she suggested. "One foot, and then the other."

The man jumped back to his feet. He was tall and imposing, wearing a purple suit and blue scarf, but the effect was ruined by the fact that he seemed to be having difficulty crossing his arms. Robin had to resist the urge to go over there and help.

"How careless of me!" The man shouted loudly. "But you are still my enemy! I'm the guardian of the sky Gedatsu! I'm a priest to the service of almighty god Enel, I own the Ordeal of Swamp! You will face my judgement!"

There was a quiet pause. "You're a priest?" Robin asked finally.

"That is right!" Gedatsu shouted. His eyes were watering from not blinking for so long.

"And you are going to fight me?"

"Yes! You will face the Ordeal of Swamp!"

"Oh." Somehow, Robin didn't look even mildly concerned.

The awkward silence stretched on uncomfortably. Finally, Robin had to ask. "Are you serious?"

_**Gedatsu vs Robin**_

* * *

Luffy took a deep breath as he stood on a small hill, waiting for raiders to arrive. Around him, the angry screams filled the air. His body was tensed and ready, but his pulse was slow and calm.

It wasn't long before they emerged. There were dozens of them, carrying everything from guns and cannons to spears and bows. Luffy's eyes narrowed. Luffy had no idea who they were, but he could feel their killing intent. He wouldn't allow anyone to put his friends at risk.

The raiders charged towards the beanstalk furiously, using jet skates to shoot through the air. They were coming up fast. Luffy's fists clenched.

Suddenly, there was another scream from behind him. In the opposite direction, at least fifty men wearing white robes shot out of the trees, screaming as they rushed to meet the raiders.

In an instant, there were at least a hundred men charging towards Luffy from all directions. He stared for a long time.

"Is there anyone _else_?" Luffy muttered to himself, sarcastically.

It was at the point that the Master of the Sky appeared. The gigantic python reared over the treetops, crashing through trees, its enormous fangs dripping venom. The snake was hissing madly. It looked absolutely berserk.

Luffy just sighed. "Oh, screw it," he murmured in resignation. "I'm not even surprised anymore."

With a tremendous crash, the raiders and the Enforcers collided. Or at least, they collided against Luffy, who sent a dozen men flying with a lightning fast spinning kick. The giant python lunged downwards, faster than any creature that size had any right to be.

"Come on!" Luffy bellowed over the sound of the war cries and the explosions. "I'll take you all on!"

_**Luffy vs Everyone**_

* * *

The sound of laughter echoed from Giant Jack. Enel sat, cross-legged, at the edge of the ruins halfway up the beanstalk. From his vantage point, he could see the battle below, yet through his Mantra he could feel the conflicts erupting across the island. He _loved_ it.

"So the giant snake has joined the battle too?" Enel muttered excitedly. "Brilliant!"

Enel wished he had prepared popcorn. He would be quite interested to see who came out on top. After all, Enel was a contestant too. He wanted to know who the first person would be to face _him_.

Eventually, his first challenger came a lot sooner than he had expected. Enel felt the presence crawl up the beanstalk towards him, but deliberately never moved a muscle.

A few minutes later, the sound of screaming spread across the ruins. Marcus strolled over the Island Cloud, heading straight to Enel, while dragging two large bodies behind him. Enel turned to stare interestedly.

"Hey there!" Marcus waved cheerfully. "Say, you haven't seen a 'God' around here, by any chance?"

Enel had a bemused expression on his face. "I _am_ God."

Marcus grinned. "Brilliant!" He said happily. "I've been looking for you for ages! I've got something to return to you."

Marcus heaved up the two bodies he was carrying. Hotori and Kotori, younger brothers of the deceased priest Satori, dangled from his hands. The twin brothers were both just as fat as Satori was, yet Marcus held them both up by their legs easily. They were bleeding and heavily injured, yet alive.

"These guys attacked me," Marcus explained merrily. "I think they were looking for revenge or something. Anyways, they said that they worked for you, so I figured I would give them back."

Hotori (or Kotori – Enel never bothered to differentiate them) mumbled something that sound like an apology. Enel just looked at Marcus curiously, like he was a particularly interesting insect crawling up his leg.

"And _then_ I figured…" Marcus continued with a bright smile. "… that I would kill both of them in front of you just so you know that I mean business!"

The twins never even had time to scream. Marcus simply dropped them to the ground, and then brought a shimmering fist straight through their skulls. Blood splattered everywhere.

Enel simply chuckled. Today was obviously an unlucky day for the Satori siblings. "How quaint," Enel muttered. "You seem to think that you are some sort of _threat_ to me."

Marcus started to chuckle too. "Oh, I _like_ you!" He laughed. "It's going to be _real_ fun when I rip you apart."

"Citizens of the Blue Sea are so amusing," Enel mused, while the air started to crackle with yellow lightning. "Perhaps I _should_ go down there, just to show them what God truly is. Allow me to share some divine wisdom; my power is beyond mortal men such as yourself."

Marcus' grin stretched from ear to ear. Around him, his body glowed as the air shimmered blood-red. "Trust me…" Marcus laughed. "You've never met a man like _me_ before!"

_**Marcus vs Enel**_

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. Who will be the last man standing?**


	17. Chapter 17: Warrior

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: My plan to beat in Eiichiro Oda in a duel to win ownership One Piece of him didn't go so well. Turns out that Oda has mad skills with a fencing sword.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Battles!**_

* * *

**Chapter 17: Warrior**

* * *

**Luffy vs Everyone**

A huge arc of flame burst from a Shandorian raider's sword, yet Luffy easily avoided it. Another raider launched an exploding arrow, only for the pirate to sidestep, and then duck to narrowly avoid an Enforcer's Axe Dial. Two Enforcers charged forward at Luffy, the air in front of them behind slicing in the shape of an 'X', yet Luffy responded by slamming his sandaled feet into their chests with a dull and painful crunch.

Around him, enemies attacked from all sides, yet Luffy didn't give an inch. Enforcers and raiders clashed together, only to be sent flying by a furious spinning kick. A violent scream burst from his throat as Luffy brought down his fist against an Enforcer's skull.

There was an earth-rumbling hiss as the Master of the Sky lunged downwards for another attack, blurring with speed as its massive, muscular body lashed forward. The fighters scattered, while Luffy barely avoided its poisonous fangs. He punched the snake firmly on its nose, yet the scales were as hard as iron. Luffy's fists were already bleeding, but he didn't seem to care.

It said a lot about the anger between the Shandorians and the Enforcers that not even a humongous python could persuade them to stop fighting.

Raiders screamed and launched in for another attack, but Luffy was already jumping down at them from above, his legs spinning in a lightning fast roundhouse kick. The pirate was everywhere. There were a hundred men trying to fight each other, but instead they all ended up facing Luffy.

Braham grunted as he reloaded his flash guns, shooting upwards on Jet Skis as he took aim. The blindingly bright bullets shot downwards, punching into the earth, yet Luffy was already sprinting across the ground. Braham glimpsed Laki carefully taking aim with her rifle while Genbo hoisted his huge cannon over his shoulder. Luffy didn't even hesitate.

Laki's rifle exploded in an incredibly fast and accurate Dial-powered shot, yet Luffy only skirted to the side while the bullet ruffled his hair. Genbo fired a huge, heavy iron cannonball with bone-crushing force, but Luffy's fist blurred forward. His knuckles slammed against solid iron with enough force to produce a shockwave. Every muscle on his body strained for half a second, before smashing forward.

The iron cannonball cracked and shattered into pieces. Debris flew everywhere, causing men to duck for cover. Braham felt his mouth drop, but Luffy was already leaping upwards, pulling his arm backwards for another blow.

Braham's guns flashed forward, skidding backwards on Jet Skis. He was the best gunslinger in Shandia, yet somehow Luffy managed to avoid every bullet, leaping after him without any Dials or weapons. _This kid…_ Braham thought in shock, feeling a spike of fear cut through his body, _this kid fights like a goddamn machine…!_

There was no pause or hesitation as Luffy covered the distance in mid-air. The Flash Dials in Braham's guns were so bright that they were known blind his enemies, but Luffy never seemed to care. Somehow, he just kept on going. With a dull hiss, Braham's Jet Skis ran out of power and he started to fall downwards, while Luffy pulled his arm back for a powerful blow, muscles clenching tightly.

_How could a Blue Sea citizen be so _strong_?_ Braham thought desperately, just before Luffy's knuckles collided with his stomach. The force knocked the air from his lungs and sent him flying downwards. Just before his vision blacked out, Braham got an up close look at Luffy's face.

Luffy had been fighting with his eyes closed.

There was a gasp of shock among the raiders as Braham slammed roughly against the ground. Luffy was relentless. As soon as his feet landed, he was already charging forward, crashing through Enforcers and knocking them to the ground. There was an unyielding fury to every attack, smashing through shields and defences without hesitation. The bodies dropped fast and furiously. Dials shattered or ran out of charge, yet Luffy just kept on going with pure, inhuman determination.

Weakly, Braham's eyes flickered open, just in time to see Genbo crash into the ground from a powerful double handed strike. Laki fared better; her stance was perfect as she took precise and accurate shots from across the field with her rifle. She was the sniper of the Shandorians and she rarely missed, but Luffy was just too fast. He covered the distance and then knocked her to the ground with a solid kick.

The old chief survived longer than anyone would have expected, but the old man fought carefully and with experienced skill. His sword flashed through the air expertly, but in the end Luffy's raw strength sent him collapsing to the ground.

Braham was still struggling just to breath. The plain was covered in men either unconscious or trying weakly to pull themselves up off the ground. The raider could barely move, yet he turned in time to glimpse the massive fangs of the giant python lunging straight towards him. For one breathless moment, Braham heart stopped.

And then, suddenly, Luffy was there, lifting Braham off the ground along with two other Shandorians, pulling them out the path of the Master of the Sky. Braham could barely breathe as he felt the whoosh of air as the snake lunged past him, yet Luffy dropped them to the ground and charged at the furious python. He punched the snake firmly on its side, yet the monster didn't even notice.

The snake was berserk, lunging madly at anything that moved. Luffy clenched his teeth while python reared around to strike again.

"_Get out of here_!" Luffy roared furiously. The snake struck downwards again, coming so close that Luffy felt a droplet of venom brush burn against his skin. With a wordless scream of fury, Luffy pounded forward and slammed his fist against the python's right eyeball. The blow caused it to hiss madly, and then thrash with renewed intensity. The earth rumbled with every slither of the huge beast.

"Leave!" Luffy screamed loudly, trying to attack again. He avoided its gaping mouth, and managed to land on its back. Its body was solid muscle, flexing as it slammed Luffy to the earth.

For half a second, Luffy hesitated, before pulling himself up to face the huge snake again. He was panting heavily, but his eyes were furious.

Slowly, realisation dawned. _He's protecting _us, Braham realised with shock; _he's keeping the snake's attention so it doesn't go after the unconscious warriors_. _Why would he beat us all up and then save our lives at the same time?_

The Master of the Sky coiled around, drawing its head in as it prepared to lunge again. The beast was staring at Luffy with wild, primal rage. Somehow, Luffy's gaze was even more threatening.

"You will not beat me," Luffy muttered quietly, struggling to stand up straight. His body was sagging with every breath, but his eyes never left the python. "You will not beat me…"

The snake hissed loudly, its body clenching for another attack. In the bright sunlight, Luffy could see the massive muscles rippling with every movement.

"_You will not beat me…!_" Luffy promised, tightening his hands into fists. The air around him seemed to almost vibrate with power. His gaze was unwavering. For a second, time froze.

When Luffy spoke again, his voice was deathly quiet but it still resonated across plain. Braham felt a shiver run down his spine.

"_**Move**_."

For the first time, the python paused. Those berserk eyes seemed to hesitate, as that voice triggered a primal fight-or-flight instinct buried under all that rage. The air pulsed.

Slowly, with almost delicate care, the Master of the Sky flexed around and slithered away. Luffy sighed and almost collapsed in relief. The field turned silent. The earth was covered in craters and gouges from the short and furious battle.

After a few minutes, Luffy pulled himself up. There was a small stone ruin by the edge of the field, and Luffy grabbed Braham and another Shandorian warrior and dragged their bodies into the ruin, placing them under the cover. Braham watched weakly, still teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

Luffy carefully carried the other raiders into the ruin. He even dragged Genbo's huge body across the field. All of the men were unconscious; anyone who hadn't been knocked out in the fight had been knocked out from the face-off with the python.

Finally, Braham managed to find his voice. "What are you doing?" He muttered suspiciously. His body wasn't working properly. It was hard to even breathe.

Luffy grinned brightly, carefully dropping Laki and the old chief into the enclave of the ruins. "Oh, just putting you under cover," he explained. "I didn't want to leave you guys out in the open unconscious like that. I've got to go, but I figured you would be safer with shelter."

Braham was quiet for a while. Luffy walked over to him, and cautiously propped his body up against the wall. Braham had lost his trademark hat in the fight, revealing a head of short hair and a large monobrow. The raider had always been extremely embarrassed of his monobrow.

"Why would you care what happens to us?" Braham asked in a wheezy voice. For all he was a muscular man, Luffy's blow had left a painful bruise and what felt like several cracked ribs.

Luffy glanced at him. "Because you never tried to kill me," he said simply. Braham's brow furrowed in confusion, but Luffy just continued. "I could feel it when we fought. You were fighting to _defeat_ me, not to kill me. You were angry, but there wasn't any killing intent. As far as I'm concerned, that makes you good guys, and I don't like it when bad things happen to good guys."

His grin stretched from ear to ear. Braham just stared at the pirate in shock. "I'm not much of a doctor," Luffy confessed. "But I think all your friends are going to be alright. Just let them sleep it off."

Luffy glanced at Braham apologetically. "You guys were really tough, mind!" Luffy laughed. "I'm absolutely _exhausted_. It was a good fight."

It took a few seconds for Braham to find his voice. "How did you get rid of that snake?" The raider asked finally.

Luffy shrugged. "I'm not quite sure," he admitted. "I'm still trying to work it all out."

"Hmmm…" Braham murmured, resting his hand back with a wheezy sigh and closing his eyes. "I never thought that _I_ would end up being a small fry…"

The pirate watched him fall unconscious. The ruins were packed with sleeping bodies, but none of the raiders seemed in any immediate danger. Luffy sighed before slowly exiting the ruins.

He barely made it five steps before suddenly a small shape lunged at him with a knife. "Villain!" A shrill voice shouted loudly.

Luffy easily sidestepped the blade. The knife had a Heat Dial infused on the handle and the blade was glowing red hot, but it was being held by a little girl with trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, with dark hair and a yellow fur dress, and stubby wings jutting out of her back. Luffy grabbed the girl's wrist in surprise.

"Umm… Hello?" Luffy greeted awkwardly, while the girl thrashed against his grip. "Who are you?"

The girl dropped the knife and pulled out a handle with a Breath and Flame Dial attached with her other hand. A burn blade, Luffy realised. A few of the Shandorians used similar weapons.

With a gush of air, the gas ignited from the burn blade to form a fiery blade. Aisa swiped forward madly. Luffy darted backwards, unable to attack a little girl.

"How dare you do that to my friends?" She screamed, slashing forward in wild, unpredictable swipes.

"No no no!" Luffy said reassuringly, motioning to the unconscious Shandorians. "There all just fine! Still breathing, you see?"

"You beat them all up?!"

"Well, they attacked me!"

The girl paused to stare at Laki, and Luffy took the opportunity to snatch the burn blade out of her hand, deactivating the weapon. Her eyes widened in shock. "Hey!" She screamed. "That's mine! Give it back!"

Luffy held the weapon up over her head instinctively. She tried to jump for it few times, screaming with the indignity. "I'm a warrior of Shandia! You can't treat me like this!"

"Hey, just calm down and let's–" Luffy's voice was cut off as the little girl punched him firmly in the crotch with a surprising amount of force. Luffy winced painfully.

"Alright…" He muttered in a restrained voice, pushing the girl away from her. "Let's try this again. What's your name?"

"I'm a warrior of Shandia!" The girl spat. "I don't talk to trespassers!"

Luffy sighed, dropping the burn blade back to her and then sitting down, cross-legged, on the ground, holding his arms up. "Alright, I surrender!" He offered loudly, with a bright grin. "Would you tell your name to your prisoner?"

She stared at him suspiciously, holding the weapon out threateningly. "My prisoner?"

"That's right!"

"So… I've captured you?"

"Yep," Luffy chuckled. "Do you have any rope?"

"…No."

"Well then, I'll just hold my hands together like this for now then," he said generously. The girl seemed to relax. "Could you please tell me your name?"

"Aisa," the girl muttered, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "My name's Aisa."

"Hello there, Aisa!" Luffy said happily, holding out his hand, "I'm Luffy!"

"Warriors don't shake hands with prisoners!" Aisa snapped.

"Ok, I'm sorry!"

She glared at him cautiously. After a few minutes, she finally muttered in a quieter tone, "That was you before, wasn't it? With the snake? How did you do that?"

"I don't know," Luffy confessed.

"I've never heard a voice that loud before," Aisa muttered.

Luffy frowned. "A voice? What do you mean a voice?"

"I hear 'voices'. All the time," Aisa mumbled, trembling slightly. "Everyone's so loud. I can hear them all."

Luffy shook his head. The field was quiet. "There is no one speaking now."

"Yes there is," she protested. "They're _always sp_eaking. And then before, with the snake, you _screamed_."

Luffy never responded. Aisa shivered. "It's just so loud, and…" she gulped. "It feels like all of the voices are going to go silent…"

She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Luffy took her hand and squeezed gently. "Hey! Don't cry! You're a _warrior_, remember?" He said with bright grin. "It doesn't matter how tough things get, because you'll just have to get _tougher_, right?"

She glared at him with wide eyes, before breaking down and hugging Luffy tightly. Her body was trembling. He could feel how scared she was. Luffy sighed, hugging her tightly while staring up at the giant beanstalk that loomed over them.

"Aisa…" Luffy asked softly. "Could you please tell me more about these voices? Could you tell me where they're coming from?"

**Winner: Luffy**

* * *

**Zoro vs Wiper**

With a tremendous boom, a cannonball sliced straight through a tree trunk and kept on going, while Zoro had to sprint to avoid the collapsing tree. Wiper just reloaded, while the nozzle of his bazooka was smoking and glowing red.

"Bastard!" Zoro growled, all three swords glinting in the air. "Let's see how well you do up close!"

He charged forward, Wiper grunted and heaved the God-Slayer upwards, firing another salvo of heavy metal cannonballs. Zoro's blade flashed and two cannonballs sliced in half, crashing into the foliage around him.

The raider activated his Jet Skis and shot upwards into the sky, yet Zoro was relentless. The swordsman leapt over a fallen log and kicked up off a branch, spinning towards Wiper in mid-air. The blades flashed, and Wiper slammed his bazooka downwards.

Sparks flew as the God-Slayer barely managed to block the three blades. With a snarl, Wiper spun his Jet Skis around and lashed the jet-powered skate straight into Zoro's face. The swordsman took the blow and replied by slamming his barefoot into Wiper's chest. Both men crashed to the ground.

_This guy is good_, they both thought together, scowling as they each prepared for another attack.

Wiper launched first, heaving his huge bazooka up and firing. Zoro was expecting another cannonball, but then a huge gush of flames exploded from the nozzle, scorching the swordsman's shirt. The swordsman yelped with pain but then charged, just as Wiper fired his bazooka again. A cloud of smoke burst from the weapon.

"You know nothing about Sky Warfare," Wiper muttered, already shooting upwards on his Jet Skis. Zoro shouted with frustration, disorientated in the smoke cloud, but then he smelt the distinctive stench of natural gas mixed in with the smoke. He barely had time to dive out of the way before everything exploded in a bright, blue flame, so intense it gouged a crater in the earth.

Wiper gave him no time to recover. Even as he dropped through the air, he took aim again. A plume of gas and fire burst from the God-Slayer, in a burst of blue flames so hot it disintegrated the trunk of a tree.

"What sort of ammo is that guy using?!" Zoro grumbled, running from the falling debris. Already the forest had a taken a big hit from Wiper's attack.

"This is the power of the God-Slayer, swordsman," Wiper shouted, skating across the treetops. "It contains so many different types of Dials that I have _dozens_ of different ways to kill you."

The God-Slayer was truly his finest weapon. Wiper had built Braham's flash guns, Laki's rifle, Genbo's cannon, and his old Burn Bazooka, but the God-Slayer put them all to shame. The bazooka contained so many different types of Dials that Wiper could control which ones he fired at any time through a knob on the side. The weapon could use Axe Dials, Breath Dials, Flame Dials, Flash Dials, Flavour Dials, Impact Dials, Jet Dials and even the infamous Reject Dial.

"Oh yeah?" Zoro muttered venomously, wrapping his black bandanna around his head. "I bet you still can't match me in close quarters!"

He darted towards a tree, running straight up the trunk before flipping to a branch and leaping upwards. Wiper responded instinctively with a blast of fire, but Zoro just kept on leaping upwards from branch to branch, before dropping downwards with all three swords spinning. Wiper couldn't escape fast enough.

The raider blocked the first blow with his bazooka, dropping onto a large tree branch. Zoro was relentless, chasing him down before he had time to activate his Jet Skis again. Growling with fury, Wiper heaved the God-Slayer upwards. Zoro darted to the side, but Wiper fired anyways, closing his eyes tightly as he pulled the trigger.

"Flash Blast!" Wiper shouted, just as a brilliant white light exploded from the bazooka, spilling everywhere. Zoro screamed as the light blinded and disorientated him, but Wiper was already moving in for another attack. "_Impact Blast_!"

The shockwave exploded from the nozzle, a short-range pulse of air that hit Zoro head on. The force collided with his chest and pounded Zoro into the tree trunk, leaving a human-sized depression in the wood. The pain rocketed through his body, blood filling up his mouth.

Wiper tried to prepare another attack, yet Zoro wasn't so easily knocked down. Before the raider could even lift his bazooka again, Zoro was on him. There was no time to even raise his swords, so instead Zoro charged with his whole body, tackling Wiper straight off the tree branch.

The ground flew towards them in an instant. Zoro managed to land on his feet, but Wiper wasn't so lucky. The raider crashed roughly onto the ground, screaming in pain from the impact.

Zoro grinned evilly, cracking his neck and spinning his blades. "What's the matter? You're not that good at landing for a master of Sky Combat!"

Wiper glared at him furiously. "Keep laughing," he growled, heaving the bazooka upwards. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

He lifted the God-Slayer back up. Zoro was charging before Wiper had time to point at him, but Wiper never even needed to aim.

"Jet Blast!" He shouted, just as a burst of wind slammed out of the nozzle. The force gouged a crater in the earth, yet Wiper used the recoil to fly backwards out of Zoro's reach.

"Bastard!" Zoro shouted already giving chase. Wiper had the advantage of range and the swordsman had to the close the gap quickly.

Wiper was already shooting backwards through the trees, using his Jet Skis and the recoil of his bazooka to move backwards while unleashing salvo after salvo of explosions and fiery impacts. The raider screamed in berserk rage as he toppled trees throughout the forest. The God-Slayer was a bulky and cumbersome weapon, but when it came to firepower it was unmatched. The explosions boomed furiously throughout the trees, turning the foliage into cinder and sawdust.

Yet Zoro never backed down. The explosions scattered around him, while Wiper fired everything from scorching heat, blinding light and ear-splitting noise out of his bazooka. The swordsman screamed ferociously as he charged through it all, his blades slicing through everything. Three lightning fast swords shopped through the air, and Wiper was barely able to defend using his bazooka, but the impact still sent the raider skidding across the ground.

"You really are trying to piss me off now!" Wiper shouted furiously, firing a large shockwave out of the God-Slayer. Zoro dodged the blast, yet the force still toppled a tree behind him. That bazooka had already cut a large gash through the forest.

"Keep talking!" Zoro snarled, launching in for another attack. Wiper defended with his bazooka, swinging the heavy weapon like club, yet he still felt Zoro's blade nick his shoulder. "But I'm betting that you're going to run out of ammo for that bazooka sooner or later!"

Wiper barely even registered Zoro's foot colliding against his stomach, knocking him to the ground. The raider recovered beautifully, but Zoro was already slicing towards him with an evil smirk. "_I'm_ never going to run out of swords!" The swordsman growled, forcing Wiper on the defensive.

The raider received another three shallow cuts trying to dodge. He slammed his Jet Skis on and hovered backwards, but the Breath Dials were quickly running low. Zoro was injured, beaten and scorched too, but still going strong. Wiper roared furiously, feeling the adrenaline pound through him. Right now, there was nothing left but battle and rage.

_I _love_ moments like this_, Wiper thought savagely, hoisting his bazooka over his shoulder. Zoro was already charging in again, swords spinning furiously.

"Do you want to see me angry?" Wiper demanded, changing the ammunition in the God-Slayer. "Because I get _really_ angry!"

He pushed down with all the speed he had left in his Jet Skis. Wiper's bazooka flashed. "Cloud Blast!" He shouted, just as a solid stream of cloud exploded outwards, whipping towards the swordsman.

Zoro shouted as the attack whipped towards him. It was the same cloud used to form the Milky Roads; soft and light but surprisingly strong as it compressed around Zoro's body. Wiper had actually been inspired by Gedatsu's trademark attacks, not that he would ever admit it.

With an evil smirk, Wiper pressed his bazooka up close to Zoro, who was still trying to thrash against the soft cloud. Wiper activated the Jet and Impact Dials together. "Let's see this you dodge this…" Wiper growled, pulling the trigger. "Shock Blast!"

The explosion of force shredded everything. It was so powerful it gouged a crater in the earth, pulverising stone into dust. Zoro took the blast head on, at close range. Even the clouds were blown away. It took a few seconds for the dust to settle. Wiper grunted in satisfaction, but then he glimpsed a figure standing upright in the smoke cloud, arms crossed.

"I see," Zoro muttered in a deadly quiet voice, bleeding from dozens of wounds. "That is one powerful weapon…"

Wiper growled. His bazooka was so hot it needed a while to cool down again, or else he risked bursting all those Dials. "Won't you just fall over already?"

Zoro's eyes were dark. "Never," the swordsman muttered, slowly raising a single blade. Wado Ichimonji gleamed in the bright sunlight.

"I see your bazooka…" Zoro said, slowly dropping into a single sword stance. "…And I will raise you a _cannon_!"

"What are you talking about?" Wiper growled, reloading his bazooka from a pouch on his back. Half a dozen empty Dials dropped to the ground.

"Sight. Hearing Smell. Taste. Touch. Thought." Zoro raised his sword horizontally above the shoulder of his sword arm, preparing for a swing. "And unto the six mortal senses; Good, Evil, Neutrality. And further unto each; Purity and Corruption."

"The thirty-six earthly desires of this world…!" Zoro announced, his gaze cold. "I am aiming a cannon at you now. Do you want to see who has the better weapon?"

Wiper grunted, lifting his bazooka up. Zoro never even moved to dodge. He was standing perfectly still. At this distance, the swordsman never stood a chance. "You've gone mad…" Wiper snarled, changing the setting on the bazooka.

"Let's see!" Zoro smirked.

"_Burn Blast_!"

"_36 Pound Cannon_!"

The blaze of blue flames parted before a furious slash of air. Wiper never even had time to dodge as suddenly the blade of air sliced towards him. Wiper managed to block with the God-Slayer, the slash leaving a deep cut in the reinforced metal, but air blast still slashed open his shoulder and waist. The raider in screamed in pain as the force sent him tumbling backwards.

"You want to challenge me?!" Wiper roared, already reloading the God-Slayer. His vision turned red with blood. He twisted the knob on the bazooka up another notch. The black metal bazooka seemed to glow hungrily, snarling smoke and sparks as it charged for another blast. "INFERNO BLAST!"

A roar of black flames burst outwards, so hot that air ignited around it. An inferno of fire and force shot downwards, scorching everything in its path. Zoro's teeth clenched tightly.

_That tough bastard…!_ The swordsman thought furiously, already unsheathing all three blades, _He survived that attack!?_

The swordsman charged towards the flames, all three swords ready and snarling for blood. "Let's finish this!" Zoro roared, swinging all blades in a furious circular arc. "_108 POUND CANNON_!"

Three projectiles of compressed air slashed through everything, so powerful that the shockwave broke the sound barrier. Every tree in a hundred yards collapsed to the ground.

Suddenly, a strange silence fell over the nearly-formed clearing. The only sound was the rumbling of tree trunks crashing to the ground. Zoro was panting heavily, barely able to stand as the adrenaline left his body. Zoro's skin was scorched and burnt and every nerve screamed in agony, but his heart was pounding and his blood felt like it was on fire.

"I'm not the type to die so easily…" Zoro muttered through heavy gasps of breath, glancing around at what remained of the battlefield. Everything was scorched and shredded.

With a dull creak, a huge tree shifted suddenly. Zoro's eyes bulged in amazement. A guttural scream of pain burst from the debris, but Wiper staggered off the ground like a zombie. Three deep gashes stretched across his chest, and his right wing had been shredded, but the raider refused to fall down. He was still heaving the God-Slayer behind him, glaring at Zoro with berserk rage.

"You… how the hell are you still moving?!" Zoro demanded, hoisting his blades up again. Zoro's body was raw and beaten, but Wiper looked like he was powered solely by pure fury. The raider staggered weakly, struggling even to lift his bazooka.

"I will not die!" Wiper screamed furiously, while blood oozed from his chest. "I _cannot_ die here! Not when I have so much more to fight for…"

"Enough!" Zoro snapped, frowning irritably. "_Stand down_. This doesn't have to end in death. You fought well, but you're too weak to continue. Stand down now and we will both work away from this alive."

"_Never_!" Wiper snarled with animalistic fury. There was no thought or reasoning involved; just his boiling blood screaming for blood. "I will not allow trespassers on my homeland!"

"Stubborn bastard…!" Zoro grunted, raising his swords again. Zoro had already decided not to kill the raider. He would just beat him up until the man finally stayed down, but his honour as a swordsman refused to let him walk away from a battle. If Wiper wanted to fight further, then so be it.

With a painful grunt, Wiper hoisted the God-Slayer over his shoulder. "I was saving this attack for Enel…" Wiper muttered darkly, carefully loading up a metal cannonball into the bazooka. It was a normal cannonball, not Wiper's precious Seastone cannonball. "…but I suppose I can test it out on you first!"

Zoro snorted, readying his blades. "If it's a cannonball, I can just cut it!"

An evil smirk flickered on Wiper's expression as he twisted the setting on the God-Slayer up to full power. "Let's see if you can…" Wiper growled, just before he pulled the trigger. "_GOD BLAST_!"

Wiper barely even needed to aim the weapon. The God-Slayer shuddered, followed by a huge roar as hundreds of Dials exploded at once. The air cracked with ear-splitting force as the Reject Dial burst open, and the power was enough to cause the earth to rumble. Four Jet Dials facing backwards managed to counteract the recoil, but the bazooka still tremored so violently it nearly tore Wiper's arm off.

The cannonball wasn't launched. It was _shredded_. In the blink of an eye, the force tore the metal cannonball into thousands of tiny fragments cutting through the air, exploding in a shockwave of force, flames and pressure. Zoro's eyes widened in shock, but there was no escaping the blast. He dived for cover, but a large area of forest and earth in the shape of a cone was obliterated into ash.

It was an attack designed especially for killing a god. Even if Mantra would predict when Wiper pulled the trigger, no one would expect a blast so intense, and its area of effect was wide enough that not even a man moving at the speed of lightning could escape. Combine that with thousands of Seastone fragments from a shredded cannonball, and then it was a blow that Enel had no chance of survival. The blast would scatter Seastone dust everywhere, and render any Devil fruit user helpless.

The God-Slayer truly deserved its name.

A small twinge of regret flickered through Wiper as he stared at the pulverised earth; the precious Vearth that had been exploded into dust. Still, it was a small price to pay for reclaiming his homeland.

The dust formed a small mushroom cloud over the forest, covering everything in ash. Wiper grunted with pain as he heaved the God-Slayer over his shoulder. His wound was agony, while the bazooka itself was scolding hot to the touch, and his bones were aching from the recoil. The black metal of the bazooka was twisted and damaged, and the Dials would need cooling and recharging before it could fire again.

_Still, at least now I know that the God Blast works_, Wiper thought viciously, _and I only need to fire it one more time_. Even if it killed him, he would kill Enel and reclaim his homeland.

As his the raider limped away through the devastated ground, he was mildly surprised to find Zoro half buried under a pile of debris; breathing weakly and heavily injured, but still alive. The swordsman was undeniably hard to kill. Wiper briefly considered finishing him off while he was unconscious, but decided against it. There were more important things to worry about, and the raider's earlier bloodlust was quickly bleeding away.

Wiper glared upwards towards the giant beanstalk, a dark scowl on his face. With inhuman stamina, Wiper hoisted the God-Slayer upwards and started running forward. There was no time to be injured when there was a man waiting to be murdered.

"_I am a warrior of Shandia_," Wiper snarled to himself, his feet pounding over the earth with growing intensity. "I will _never_ die while my enemies still live."

**Winner: Wiper**

* * *

**Conis vs Yama**

"Meh," Yama muttered, glaring at Conis angrily. "What lunacy is this?"

Despite the blood filling in her mouth, the girl nevertheless managed to pull herself up off the ground. Her body was trembling uncontrollably, and her knees were weak.

"Get…" She stammered slowly. "Get …off this ship…"

Yama scowled deepened. Behind him, the flames were already spreading over the prow of ship, covering the front figurehead in a burning aura. She had move fast, get rid of the commander, and then put out the fire before the whole boat was ablaze.

"You are no soldier," Yama announced dismissively, swinging his foot at the girl. "This is pathetic."

Despite his massive build, the commander was surprisingly fast and agile. His limbs were tiny compared to his body, yet still immensely strong. Every blow felt like being hit by a juggernaut, and the one time Conis managed to land a punch it was like hitting a mountain. The kick collided with stomach, her body crashing into ship. Even after only a few backhanded swipes, Conis felt her vision begin to fade.

Nevertheless, she managed to pull herself up. She had no idea how to fight, but she really needed to learn quickly. She couldn't let this man destroy the Going Merry. It was all on her.

"Answer me one question before I kill you…" Yama drawled in thunderous voice. "What brought on this sudden heresy? Why are you doing this when you had the opportunity to serve God himself?!"

Conis gulped but never responded. Her face was bruised and bleeding, and her light blond hair had fallen out of her pigtails, draping across her shoulders. Her heart pounded furiously, while she glared at Yama, desperate to find some weakness.

The fat man just snorted. "Very well," he scoffed. "If you are so eager to die, then I will oblige."

He adjusted his sash carefully. The sash was thick leather, with ten large Axe Dials sewn into it – the Ten-Fold Axe.

Axe Dials were rare; most Enforcers only had one, but Yama used ten. Conis had seen Axe Dials before; her father had used a small one to break open other Dials in his workshop, although he had always forbidden Conis from touching it. He always said that an Axe Dial could take of your hand if you held it the wrong way.

Yama leapt towards her with unstoppable momentum. Conis tried to dodge out the way, but the commander was too fast. The fat man threw his arms back, slamming his huge chest forward and barrelling into Conis. The impact nearly caused her to black out.

"Axe Mountain!" Yama screeched, triggering the ten Axe Dials across his body. Bursts of air exploded outwards, slicing through everything. Conis couldn't even scream as she felt her body cut open. Blood splattered everywhere. Around her, the wooden wall broke into pieces.

She dropped to the ground in a growing pool of blood. The cuts crisscrossed over her body, all across her left arm and down one side, ruining her pink dress the sudden blood loss made her feel lightheaded. One of her antennas had been severed, while the white feathers from her left wing scattered over the growing pool of blood. She could feel her body turn numb from blood loss. She would have screamed if her lungs were working properly.

Around her, the Going Merry creaked as the planks of wood smouldered. Suddenly, she could hear the ship screaming in pain.

Yama was already walking away, slowly. The ship rumbled with every step. "This is over," he muttered darkly, his back turned to Conis. "I have more importa–"

His voice faded out in an instant. A strange calm fell over Conis. She knew that she was less than a minute away from collapsing from blood loss, but there was no pain anymore. There was just a sudden, almost serene realisation that she had less than a minute to beat this man before she lost everything.

After that, there was no thought involved. She didn't even realise what she was doing until she was running towards Yama, leaping straight onto his back.

"What the –?" He screamed, thrashing madly. Conis didn't listen. Her legs wrapped around his beefy neck, tightening to strangle the life out of him. Her hands clawed madly at his face, digging her nails into his eyes while he howled in pain.

He trashed madly and tried to pull her off. He slammed her backwards into the wall, but Conis couldn't even feel it anymore. The tears were pouring from her eyes as she scratched and clawed, even yanking his greasy hair just to stay on. Between the adrenaline and the pain, there was nothing left but desperate clawing.

_I will not lose here_! She thought desperately, her throat not working as she tried to scream. Her father's face flashed before her eyes. _I cannot_…!

Eventually, Yama managed to grab a hold of her arm and yank her away. She clutched at his robes to try and stop him, but he heaved her upwards and slammed her body down like a ragdoll. His face was bleeding and his eyes were bloodshot, and he screamed at her with fury.

"_You bitch_!" He roared, charging blindly towards like a bull.

Conis heart stopped. There was a suddenly a mountain of flesh stampeding towards her, but her arms moved by herself. In an instant, she realised that she was holding a circular object in her hand. She hadn't even known that she torn in off Yama's sash, but then she was holding up Axe Dial towards straight into his chest. Her fingers pressed the shell by themselves.

The air burst outwards, at close range. Yama gasped, feeling a bloody 'X' shape cut into his chest. The commander roared in pain, but he was still a powerhouse of strength. He swung out with a mad blow, but somehow Conis managed to dodge. Her mind flickered back to everything she learnt about Dials from her father, and then she was ducking under his arm and slamming the Axe Dial towards his body again.

Yama should have been able to stop her, but he was too enraged to think properly. Conis went for his sash, focusing on another Axe Dial at the bottom, under his left arm. She triggered the Axe Dial she was holding again, and dived under Yama's legs for cover.

Dials stored energy, and then released it in short bursts. If the shell of a Dial was ever cracked, then whatever energy was left in it would burst out uncontrollably. Yama wasn't wearing ten weapons across his body; he was wearing ten bombs waiting to explode.

The Axe Dial cracked and exploded in a blast of razor sharp blades of wind. It carved through Yama's flesh like a cleaver, splitting his robes and cutting the sash open. The commander howled and writhed in pain, enough time for Conis to get behind him. There had been Ten Axe Dials on his sash. She was holding one, and another had been destroyed. That meant another eight left on his body.

The Ten-Fold Axe was a brilliant weapon in a battle of brute strength, but it was a huge disadvantage when the enemy was up-close and personal. Yama should have dropped the sash right there, but he was too busy screaming in agony and clutching his side, spilling out a stream of vicious insults and thrashing blindly.

He barely even noticed when Conis clutched the loose end of sash and flipped it around. Her hands were surprisingly steady as she tugged on the sash, and with a click the eight Axe Dials activated at once.

Her father's voice echoed in her ear. _Don't touch that. Axe Dials will take your hand off if you hold them the wrong way…_

Yama's blood poured everywhere. He was gasping in agony, but it was a testament to his size and strength that he was still standing, but his huge body was wobbling dangerously. Conis was panting heavily, but she glared at the commander furiously.

"_Get off this ship_!" Conis murmured, lifting up her leg and kicking forward with all the strength she had left. Her foot colliding against his stomach weakly, but it was enough to send him stumbling backwards. With a crash, Yama tumbled straight over the ledge of the ship.

As soon as he disappeared out of view, Conis felt her strength disappear. That serene calm collapsed, and suddenly all the pain returned. She dropped to the ground, the blood still oozing out the wounds. She tore up her dress, trying to bandage herself up before she lost conscious. She yanked off her belt and wrapped it around her arm to cut off circulation. The cuts were deep; some of them would heal but others would scar.

At the prow of the ship, the fire was still blazing. She had to move quickly. Her breathing was wheezy as she stumbled to her feet.

There was sudden scream from the ledge of the Going Merry. A beefy hand grabbed hold of the ledge, fingers clutching the wood tightly as Yama tried to pull himself up. His blood was pouring into the lake below, sending the sharks underneath him into frenzy. His face was bright red as he tried to heave his mass up with one arm, despite the pain and the wounds.

"Bitch!" Yama bellowed, as he pulled his shoulders up over the ledge. "I will kill you! I will snap your neck! I will pound you to a pulp!"

Conis didn't even turn around. She was too busy pouring a barrel of water out over the flames. With a scream, Yama managed to get his other arm up over the ledge. The sharks below were leaping out the water towards him, snapping at his heels.

"Shut up," Conis muttered coldly, fighting to put out the fire. "It's over."

"I will kill you!" He howled madly, staring at her through bloody eyes. Around him, the Going Merry started to creak. The sail wafted slightly without any wind. "I will burn you with this ship! I'll bury you in the bottom of the lake in this piece of crap, worthless boa–"

Without warning, the wooden ledge cracked. It didn't break, and it didn't snap. There was no splintering or even a noise. It was more like the wood just decided that it didn't want to hold Yama up anymore. It just split cleanly away, and Yama went falling downwards.

He never even had time to scream before he hit the water. Then the sharks got him, and then there was plenty of time to scream. The water turned red.

"I told you…" Conis murmured, stamping out the last of the flames. "…It's already over."

**Winner: Conis**

* * *

**Smoker vs Tashigi**

There was no hesitation as Smoker shot over the camp in a flurry of white smoke, his baton in hand. Tashigi clutched Shigure tightly, rushing to meet him with a flash of steel. White smoke twisted everywhere. Everyone else watched the battle in awe, too nervous to interfere.

"Stand down, Tashigi!" Smoker shouted, his body dematerialising into smoke.

"You first, captain," Tashigi replied, slashing swiftly and accurately through the cloud of smoke.

Tashigi had been Smoker's right hand for a long time. She knew the powers of the Plume Plume fruit better than anyone, and she knew how to fight against it, even without the use of Seastone. It wasn't an offensive Logia, and the smoke itself could restrain a person but couldn't hurt them directly. That was why Smoker relied on using a weapon, but it was also where he was vulnerable.

His smoke form was great for surrounding and overwhelming an opponent, but smoke simply couldn't move as quickly or as dexterously as a human. A good sword slash could sweep the smoke tendrils away faster than Smoker could reassemble them. By aiming at the handle of the baton, Tashigi forced Smoker to drop his weapon and go on the defensive.

The smoke billowed everywhere and could easily overwhelm the unprepared, yet Tashigi knew how to counter it. Her sword flashed through the air, cutting through the smoke as it tried to wrap around her body, and she kept on moving to set the pace of the battle. With the right mix of speed and precision, she could fight the smoke form to a standstill.

Smoker frowned as he realised what she was doing, and he was unable to get the upper hand in the fight. Of course, Tashigi couldn't actually hurt him, and she had to fight a lot harder than he was just to keep him at bay.

"Give it up, Tashigi!" He ordered, trying to pick up his baton again. She slashed the smoke away and stomped the weapon to the ground. "You can't win here!"

_But it's enough to give me some breathing room, _Tashigi thought to herself, her sword flashing up and down furiously, _and I know his fighting style, and all of his tricks_. _So long as I control the pace of the battle, I have a chance._

She sidestepped a billow of smoke, twisting up and down, backwards and forwards to cut through the smoke circling around her. She danced over the ground, forcing Smoker to follow, her sword never pausing. He launched rapid waves of smoke towards her, compressed and powerful, yet she dodged and sliced through them all, pushing him backwards.

_Fight fast and smart_, Tashigi thought, recalling the words of her old sensei, _turn your opponent's strength against them._

A small campfire lay abandoned in the middle of the camp, large sticks still smouldering gently. Tashigi charged towards it, dropping to wield Shigure one-handed while she snatched up a blazing stick from the flames. She had learned in Smoker's fight against 'Fire Fist' Ace that the captain had a weakness against fire, even if it was a small weakness. Flames could still burn him if they were hot enough, and the captain had trouble phasing through fire. Tashigi span her sword with one hand and lashed out with the burning stick in the other, forcing Smoker back.

"You can't fight your way out of this!" Smoker growled, but his voice sounded strained.

Tashigi was panting heavily, but she could still follow his every movement, forcing the cloud of smoke backwards. A crowd of marines watched the battle silently, although after a few minutes a few sharp thinkers had the idea to raise their rifles.

"No!" Smoker ordered, yelling at the men to stand down. "Lower your weapons! I'll handle her!"

_And that's perhaps my biggest advantage_, Tashigi thought silently, her stomach churning, _neither of us wants to hurt each other_. But while Tashigi could fight furiously because she knew that her sword couldn't hurt Smoker, she could also feel Smoker hesitating before every attack, trying to restrain her rather than injure her.

_I don't have to hurt him_, Tashigi decided, her sword slashing without hesitation, _I just have to hold him back_. _I can fight him into a corner and slap a pair of Seastone handcuffs on to him. When he can't follow me, then I'll just run_.

She knew she never stood a chance at escaping with Smoker after her. He wasn't called the 'White Chase' nothing. Only when Smoker was properly restrained could she escape, and then after that she would run into the forest and…

_Well_, Tashigi thought uncertainly, _one thing at a time_…

"This is enough, Tashigi," Smoker's disembodied head muttered quietly, as the rest of his body swirled as smoke.

Tashigi struck out with the burning stick towards his face. "I couldn't agree more, captain."

She was expecting to feel no resistance, like all of her other attacks. Instead, she ended up surprised when the stick collided against Smoker's coat, and a strong hand yanked the burning stick out of her grasp. Tashigi swung her sword around, and succeeded in nicking Smoker's elbow before he dematerialised.

_So he's deactivating his Logia and attacking with physical attacks_, Tashigi frowned, dodging a swift uppercut. Without a weapon, the only way he could attack her properly was by putting himself at risk. _I need to get those Seastone handcuffs on him straight away_.

They danced across the camp. Smoker was panting now, trying to flicker from smoke to human in time for her attacks, while Tashigi sword cut swift, smooth arcs through the air. He managed to land a glance punch on head, while she cut two more shallow scratches across his arms. Her swordsmanship was brilliant. If Smoker hadn't been so angry, he would have been impressed.

Slowly, Tashigi managed to steer the fight towards the far side of the camp. She was tired quickly, and her movements were lagging, but she had glimpsed a supply crate with a pair of Seastone cuffs lying on the top. Hina had deliberately made sure that was plenty of Seastone weaponry across the camp in case Enel attacked again. Carefully, Tashigi dropped her guard, and Smoker darted in for the attack.

Her timing was perfect. Just as Smoker lunged with a furious uppercut, Tashigi twisted to the side and kicked the handcuffs upwards. Before Smoker even had time to pull his arm back, Tashigi whipped the cuffs downwards, locking them in place firmly around his wrist.

Tashigi dropped her sword. "It's over, captain," Tashigi said, glaring at him firmly. With the camp in such a disarray, who knew where the keys for that particular pair of handcuffs ended up? Smoker's powers were rendered useless.

He nodded. "I couldn't agree more, lieutenant," he muttered under his breath, echoing her words from just a few minutes earlier. Tashigi never even had time to react. In an instant, his arm dematerialised, effortlessly phasing around the handcuffs, and then his fist slammed into her face.

The blow knocked her to the ground, and the next a second a plume of smoke snatched her sword out of her hand. Smoker was standing above her, his face a stony mask.

_Did he...?_ Tashigi thought with panic, blood running from her nose; _Did he realise that I was going for the Seastone handcuffs? He must have switched them for normal ones when I wasn't looking…_

That was the last thing she managed to think before Smoker, with only the slightest hesitation, slammed his elbow into her skull. Tashigi dropped the ground.

It was only when she was unconscious did Smoker pause to sigh heavily. His hand was twitching. There was no sense of victory or achievement; instead he just felt cold and numb. His favourite lieutenant lay on the ground in front of him, looking almost peaceful, while a line of blood dripped from her forehead.

"Dammit Tashigi," Smoker growled under his breath, blinking repeatedly. "…Why did you have to do make me do this?"

The marines in the camp were watching him intently, but no one said a word. Smoker never had a choice. With a deep breath, he bent over and fastened the handcuffs onto both her wrists. Smoker turned to glare at a marine standing nearby, one of the few officers still remaining in the camp.

"You!" Smoker shouted, turning on to the marine, who attempted a shoddy salute. "Chief Petty Officer, is it?" The man nodded hesitantly. Smoker raised his voice to make sure everyone heard him. "I am putting the prisoner under your custody. She is a valuable material witness _and_ a Marine officer, and she will be presented _unharmed_ at her tribunal. I will hold you personally responsible for her safety and wellbeing."

A look of utter dread flashed over the Chief Petty Officer's face. Smoker turned to stare at the assembled marines. He knew about the rumours of Tashigi and the fear and anger festering among the marines. Smoker would be damn sure that everyone knew _his_ stance on the subject.

"Scratch that!" Smoker announced loudly, glaring at the group. "I will hold you _all_ responsible for her wellbeing. When I return, I _expect_ to see her secured and in good shape! _Is that understood_?!"

There was a chant of 'Yes captain!', followed by a salute. Smoker made note of the faces that seemed less than enthusiastic about the idea. _If anybody dares to hurt Tashigi when I'm gone_, Smoker thought viciously with gritted teeth, _I'll throw that bastard out of the damn sky_!

The emotions churned inside of him as he saw Tashigi carried across to the makeshift brig. Rage was the easiest feeling to accept, so Smoker tried to focus on that one. He started to walk out of the camp, pausing just before he left. After a moment's thought, he turned and raided a supply crate, eventually pulling out a revolver with six bullets sealed in a metal case.

"Seastone bullets," Smoker murmured to himself. His fingers turned numb even as he loaded up the gun. Seastone bullets were expensive as hell, but useful. Smoker had never really like firearms, but he was willing to make an exception. He tucked the gun securely into his belt. "I've had enough of this island. And I've got a bone to pick with god…"

Casting a sour glance over the camp, Smoker dematerialised his lower body into smoke and launched himself into the air, shooting quickly through the trees.

**Winner: Smoker**

* * *

**Nami vs Ohm**

"It's time to pray…" Ohm ordered darkly, slowly extending his cloud sword from the handle. "On your knees. I shall allow you thirty seconds to think on your sins."

Nami felt her pulse race suddenly. Her hands gripped her weapons tightly, holding the sword forward while keeping the Clima-Tact close. She wanted to run, but she instinctively knew she wouldn't get far. This was a fight she needed to face. _This guy is strong_, she thought nervously, slowly edging backwards,_ and that sword is dangerous. It has reach and power; great at attack and defence. Plus he has that weird way of predicting any attack._

She had to force her breathing to remain calm. _But I've fought him before_, she reminding herself,_ and that Mantra of his isn't flawless. I've just got to be creative._

Ohm glared her, and Nami was struck by a suspicious that he was reading her chain of thought clearly. _So he can foretell my intentions_, Nami decided, _but not my actual attack_.

Her thirty seconds was rapidly ticking away. Ohm had the better power and the stamina. _I need to finish this in one attack_, Nami thought desperately, slowly spinning the Clima-Tact. Her eyes darted around, judging the weather. They were in the bottom of a valley, and the air was moist. It was a nice, easy micro-climate to manipulate.

_I need one good, creative attack. He's going to know it's coming but it'll still catch him off-guard_…

Nami's mind raced, recalling every detail of the last battle. Her lightning attack had been absolutely futile against him, but in a simultaneous attack with Vivi they had managed to cut through his iron cloud. A tornado seemed like her best bet. She just needed an edge to it…

With a sudden click, she remembered the Dials that Pagaya had handed them. That bag was still slung over her shoulders. There were at least two dozen Dials of various types in there. Nami had no idea what different Dials she had, and she hadn't even had time to experiment with using them. Hopefully there were at least a few Impact or Flames Dials in there. And hopefully they were all charged.

The priest was glaring at her suspiciously. Neither of them moved. She wondered how many seconds she had left. _He doesn't know I have the Dials_, Nami told herself, _he's not going to expect it. I need a tornado; and I can throw the Dials at him using that. They'll explode, and he'll fall down. Hopefully that'll be enough. Hopefully I'll have enough time. Hopefully he won't just kill me straight away…_

…_I really wish I didn't think 'hopefully' so many times there._ Nami felt like sobbing, but she forced herself to stay strong. She still needed to climb back up and save Vivi from the Devil fruit hunters.

"You're time is up," Ohm drawled, interrupting her thoughts. "Have you repented?"

Nami forced a grin, dropping into a battle stance. Already her Clima-Tact was working, manipulating the weather around her slowly. The longer she kept Ohm talking the better.

"Oh, I enjoy my lifestyle _way_ too much to repent _anything,"_ she said with a cheeky smirk, sticking out her tongue.

A vein throbbed on Ohm's head. "I do not usually take pleasure in my work. Ending infidel's lives is my duty, not a hobby," the priest said with a frown. "But I will enjoy killing you!"

With a flash, a forked blade pulse out of Ohm's sword, blurring towards Nami. She barely had time to react, but she just managed to block with her sword. The iron cloud prong dug into her short metal blade, and the force knocked her backwards. _Not time yet!_ Nami thought with panic, _the weather forecast isn't ready!_

Ohm was already swinging for another attack. Nami dodged left, but the priest predicted the dodge before she even moved. His blade whipped across towards her, slicing through trees. Nami barely had time to scream, swinging her bag in front of her for defence.

Suddenly, the iron whip halted. Nami's bag was ripped open, spilling the Dials on to the ground, but the iron whip had lost all momentum. Ohm's eyes widened in surprise. It was only when she looked into the back did she realise what had happened.

_It collided against an Axe Dial_, Nami realised dumbly. Impact Dials absorb brute force, so the Axe Dial absorbed the slicing edge. Her brow furrowed. _Wait a second, why didn't he predict that his blade would be blocked like that?_ Realisation dawned quickly. _Unless he can't predict a defence that I don't know about!_

A sly grin flickered through across her face as she scooped up an armful of Dials, dropping her sword into its sheath. _Oh, Pagaya, thank you!_

She started running towards Ohm even as he drew back his blade. "What are you doing?" He grunted.

"Not a clue!" Nami shouted cheerfully, pulling back her arm and triggering a Dial just before she threw it him. The shell flew through the air. Ohm looked momentarily confused.

_I have no idea what each shell does_! Nami thought victoriously, _and so neither does he! He can't predict the attack!_

As the Dial collided against the ground, it exploded in a huge shockwave. An Impact Dial. Ohm darted to the side a moment too late and caught in the edge of the blast. Nami was already throwing another Dial at him. He flicked his iron cloud sword into a shield to block, but this Dial bounced against the shield and started to spill out smelly gas. Again, Ohm reacted too late.

_He's too used to having a warning with every attack_, Nami thought smugly, throwing two Dials together, _his ordinary reflexes are terrible!_

The two Dials turned out to be a Flash Dial and a Flame Dial. As soon as the Flame Dial ignited the gas from the previous Breath Dial, everything exploded in a huge fireball. Ohm scattered backwards, burns covering his body. He looked mad.

"How dare you?!" He roared angrily, pulling himself to his feet.

Nami grinned. She had all the time she needed. Her Clima-Tact was flashing around, shooting bubbles, while with her other hand she spun a Heat Dial to shape the air flow. Hot and cold micro-climates spun around her, morphing into an unstable weather system.

"Weather forecast!" Nami shouted. "You are going to lose now!"

"I am God's chosen!" Ohm shouted, readying his sword. "Do not push me!"

Nami acted on instinct. She thrust the Heat Dial down, and the air shimmered. Suddenly, six phantasm images of the navigator appeared, all spinning their Clima-Tacts. "Mirage Tempo!" She mocked. "How do you know which is the rea–"

"Fool," Ohm muttered dryly pointing his sword at the Nami on the end. The blade shot outwards like a lance. Six visions of Nami dropped to the ground. "My Mantra can tell the difference easily."

The blade stabbed straight through her lower stomach. It felt like a hard punch at first. It took Nami a few seconds to even feel the pain, but then she felt the blood pour down her waist. Her previous smugness vanished in a second as she collapsed to the ground.

Slowly, Ohm started walking towards her, transforming his sword into an executioner's blade. Nami's heart was suddenly pounding harder than ever, so loud she could feel every beat echoing in her ears. Her head felt light. _Move_! She screamed at her arms, but they just wouldn't respond anymore.

"This is a _good_ death," he preached, raising the sword over his head. "Take pleasure in knowing that there will be no more burdens for you."

He struck downwards. Time seemed to stop.

_Move!_ Nami screamed and finally her limbs managed to work. Her Clima-Tact was primed and ready. She could practically see the hot and cold weather fronts spinning around her. _Hot and cold…_ Nami thought desperately, swinging the Clima-Tact upwards. Ohm's eyes flickered and he stepped away just as she moved.

The Dials were littered around the ground. There was no time to use them. Instead she drew her short sword in a fluid motion. She would only get one shot at this. Nami threw her sword towards Ohm, and then fired her Clima-Tact. Two clockwork doves burst out of the staff and started to spinning, the sudden air wave starting a chain reaction.

In a second, there was a rush of air and a monstrous typhoon surged from the end of the Clima-Tact, with enough force to knock her backwards. The miniature tornodo hit her sword from behind and then suddenly there was a blade flying towards Ohm with lightning speed.

Nami's heart skipped.

And Ohm just casually sidestepped the attack. He was sidestepping before the attack was even finished. The sword flew passed him into the sky, while the tornado disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"Was that supposed to hit me?" Ohm asked doubtfully, readying his sword again.

Nami collapsed to the ground, clutching at her side to try and stop the blood flow. That was it. She had no more attacks left. There was nothing more that she could do. Her breathing was frantic, and wheezy.

_That was my last shot_, Nami thought desperately, watching Ohm walk closer.

_Please work_…

The priest could have killed from there, but he wanted the up close and personal murder. Nami clutched her head, trying to bang out the thoughts that might betray her plan.

_Don't think about the weather, don't think about the weather, don't think about the weather_, she repeated to herself frantically. _Think about pink elephants. Purple giraffes. Tangerines. Bell-mere. Nojiko. Genzo. Cocoyasi Village. Just don't think about the weather_…

"This is the end," Ohm muttered, swiping downwards with his sword. Nami had to close her eyes and cover her ears.

_Hot and cold fronts… No don't think about it_, Nami thought frantically. Ohm was in her mind, and she couldn't risk forewarning him. _Think about anything else, just not that. The Going Merry. Zoro. Usopp. Sanji. Chopper. Vivi. Robin. Carue. Luffy… Oh, Luffy_…

… _Luffy_…

Ohm's blade cut towards her. The air hissed. There was a slicing sound, followed by a body slumping to the ground.

After a couple of nerve-wracking seconds, Nami slowly opened her eyes. Ohm was lying on the ground in front of her, with Nami's sword buried straight through his back. The relief caused her eyes to swell up with his tears. Nami had to gasp for breath.

"Hot and cold weather fronts…" Nami whispered quietly. The forest was suddenly deathly quiet. "…Will always cause _circular_ pressure contours. That sword was spinning in the air currents, it was always going to come straight back to where it started like a boomerang."

Ohm didn't even twitch. Her short sword was buried through his body so deeply she couldn't even pull it out. "You could read my mind," Nami muttered, pulling herself up with a wince of pain. "You just couldn't read the _weather_."

Nami used a Heat Dial to cauterise her wound, shuddering with the pain, but there was no time to be gentle. She still had to hurry. She spent a while picked up the Dials, but then paused after a few seconds of trying to yank her sword out of Ohm's motionless body.

"Oh, you know what?" She said sarcastically in resignation, letting go of the handle and walking away from the corpse. "You can keep that sword…"

Nami paused after a couple of steps. She slowly turned to stare at Ohm's fancy iron cloud sword. It really was a powerful weapon…

She grinned, glancing down at the priest's dead body. "Would you mind if I took yours instead?"

**Winner: Nami**

* * *

**Gedatsu vs Robin**

"You are intruding on God's territory!" Gedatsu screamed, charging forward with jet powered shoes. "I cannot allow you to – ooph!"

In an instant, dozens of hands sprouted from the ground and grabbed a hold of his ankles. Gedatsu sensed the attack coming, but there were just too many hands to avoid. He tripped and his face ended up planting itself into the ground.

He glared at Robin, standing with arms crossed completely motionless, while the priest struggled to pull himself up.

"Ok, that was a lucky blow!" Gedatsu screamed, jumping into the sky. Dials on his elbow activated, thrusting his arm forward in a lightning fast punch. "But I really can't – OWW!"

Two hands sprouted from his chest and grabbed his arm, twisting it around. The Jet Dials never stopped, and Gedatsu ended up punching himself straight in the face with bone-crunching force. The priest wobbled dangerously, nearly tripping over as his Mantra failed him.

"Uhh… well…" Gedatsu stammered with concussion, throwing his arms out at Robin. "Take this! Swamp Cloud Burge – Hey!"

Before he could even react, more hands sprouted across his body, stealing the Dials from his sleeves and elbows. Gedatsu thrashed madly, but the hands disappeared as quickly as they appeared. A chain of hands were already passing the Dials over to Robin.

"This really isn't fair–" Gedatsu protested weakly, just as there was a tap at his right shoulder. He turned, just to see an arm sprouting from his back and pointing to his left. He looked to his left, and then there was another arm waving at him. Realisation dawned slowly. "Oh cr– "

There was a painful crack as both the arms grabbed him by the head and pulled backwards. Gedatsu collapsed to the ground.

It was a while before Robin moved. "Well…" She muttered slowly, already walking away into the ruins. "_That_ was easy."

**Winner: Robin**

* * *

**Sanji vs Hina**

"If you turn back right now!" Sanji announced loudly. "Then I might just let you escape!"

The chef was restrained by so many iron manacles he couldn't even move a finger. The iron bands covered him head to toe, so tight he could barely breathe. Also, he was surrounded by marines pointing rifles at his head. And he was being dragged along the ground behind a large wagon.

"I'm serious!" Sanji yelled, hopefully. No one seemed to be paying him much attention. "You should really retreat _right now_! It would be a real _big_ mistake to go any further!"

The marines were still marching through the valley, with Hina at the head of the column. "Bring those cannons forward!" The captain ordered loudly, before glancing at Sanji. "Also, someone gag that guy. He's getting annoying now."

A nearby marine slammed a dirty rag into Sanji's mouth. The chef nearly gagged, his screams turning into muffled cries. There were tears running down his cheeks.

_Nami! Oh Nami_! Sanji cried silently, _I'm so sorry! You needed me and I failed you_!

He cast a desperate glance at Hina. _But what else could I do? I could never hit a woma_–

Sanji paused suddenly. Inspiration struck.

With a gasp, he managed to spit the out his gag. "Hey! Ms Hina!" He shouted loudly, still being dragged along the dirty ground. "May I please have your attention for a moment?"

The captain cast an amused glance towards the pirate, still not slowing down her march. "What is it?"

"Ahh…" Sanji sighed wistfully, staring at Hina with wide eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry. Your beauty just took my breath away for a moment. Where was I? Oh yes, I have a proposition for you."

"Do tell?" She said, raising an eyebrow.

"As much as it _pains_ me to ask anything of such a magnificent picture of loveliness …" Sanji muttered, his voice cracking with emotion. "…But I'm afraid I must insist that you stop this march right now."

She scoffed, already turning away. Next to him, Jango and Fullbody shot Sanji dirty looks. "And why would Hina do that?" She retorted.

"Well…" Sanji muttered coolly. "I suppose I'll just have to convince you…"

He took a deep breath and then clenched his muscles. His legs thrashed against his manacles. His arms strained. Every muscle on his body bulged trying to break free. Sanji's teeth grit, a strained groan bursting from his throat.

Fullbody cast a doubtful glance at the thrashing chef. "Don't bother," the seaman chided. "No one can escape from the power of Captain Hina's Bind Bind fruit!"

Sanji didn't stop thrashing. The iron manacles started to flex. "Do not underestimate the power of love!"

"Are you mad?!" Fullbody yelled. "You're just going to hurt yourse–"

With a sudden crack, the manacles around his legs snapped, followed closely by the bonds around his arms. After that, every restraint dropped the ground. Fullbody was hit in the face by a flying piece of iron.

Everything stopped. Hina spun around; her eyes widening in surprise. Dozens of rifles were slammed at Sanji from all directions. Nobody made a sound.

Sanji calmly lit a cigarette.

After a few seconds, Captain Hina broke the silence. "So…" She muttered, pulling on her black gloves. Her wide hips swayed as she stepped towards the chef. "Does this mean you are going fight seriously?"

The chef grinned. "Against you?" He replied. "God no. I'd rather die before I raised my hand in anger against such a goddess."

Around him, more marines levelled rifles against him. Sanji rolled his eyes. "Against these guys?" He muttered. "Hell yes!"

His legs spun in a blur. The marines were circling him, and they all hesitated before firing else they'd hit each other. The next second, Sanji's shoes were pounding a dozen men to the ground. Fullbody launched a heavy uppercut, only to be sent flying from a spinning kick. Jango tried to pull out his hypnosis ring, but a polished black shoe slammed into his face before he could even say a word.

Hina lashed out, her fingers extending into bars that formed a cage snapping around the chef. Sanji was already rushing away, cutting through the marines in a flurry of kicks. In the middle of the cramped space, everything was too chaotic for the marines to form any sort of organised defence.

"Damn you!" Hina shouted, rushing after him. "Hina is your opponent, not Hina's men!"

"My opponent?" Sanji replied, casually kicking another two men to the ground. "Why I could never be enemies with such beauty!"

His foot crushed the wheel of a nearby cannon, causing it to crash to the ground with a tremendous thud. A group of marines tried to circle him while Hina charged towards him, but Sanji was already spinning around her, his legs crashing through marines furiously.

Suddenly, he was at head of column, blocking the path of the valley with his arms wide open. Hina charged towards him, swinging her arm in a wide uppercut.

Sanji rushed to meet her, ducking under Hina's blow and then spinning his leg at her head with furious speed. His foot halted inches away from her face, coming so close that Hina's hair brushed backwards. The captain blinked.

The chef took another deep breath of his cigarette, looking at Hina coolly. "I would never allow any harm to come to such magnificent beauty," he said sincerely, slowly dropping his leg. "I will die before I hurt you."

Hina glared at him. "However…" Sanji continued with a smirk. "That doesn't mean I have to let you pass either!"

* * *

**Marcus vs Enel**

There was a brief moment of silence as the air shimmered and crackled red and yellow. Enel stared at Marcus' blood red aura dismissively.

"So, you have a Devil fruit too?" The god muttered, shrugging his shoulders. "It makes no difference. Not all abilities are created equal. _I_ have ascended to godhood, while you are nothing more than curiosity."

Marcus' grin never faltered. "Let's see how long you keep saying that, but by the end of the day I will be walking away with the Rumble Rumble fruit in my hand."

Enel snorted. "Are arrogant words all you can do?"

"No," Marcus shook his head cheerfully, casually stepping forward. "I also give one _hell_ of back massage!"

He broke into a sprint, covering the distance in the blink of eye. Enel rolled his eyes. "Don't bother," the god muttered. "You will not even be able to _touch_ m–"

Marcus' fist pulsed red as it slammed into Enel's chest. God's jaw dropped open and his eyes bulged with pain. Marcus' laughter was maniac. He held on tightly to the back of Enel's head, bringing his fist in for another blow.

The red glow around them throbbed repeatedly, pounding like a furious heartbeat. Even being close to Marcus made Enel's body ache painfully. The punch was far more magnified than it had any right to be. For a moment, the pure panic was clear on Enel's face.

"This is the part where I rip your heart out!" Marcus laughed cheerfully, slamming his hand forward.

Enel recovered just in time. The electricity started sparking from his body, striking into Marcus in a furious arc. The Devil fruit hunter screamed as he shot backwards, while Enel took the opportunity to dematerialise into lightning, reappearing a hundred yards away.

The god stared at Marcus with incredulous eyes. He raised his hand, and a huge bolt of lightning burst outwards, shaping into a falcon as it arced towards Marcus. There wasn't even time to scream as it hit, the power zapping him backwards and landing roughly through a nearby stone wall.

After a few seconds, Marcus grunt with pain as he climbed out of the ruins. Around his body, the stone was turning to dust everywhere he touched.

Enel paused, touching his stomach gingerly. A large nasty bruise had already formed, and the nearby skin was covered in scratches. But it was more than that; Marcus' blow had a penetrative power to it, as if it cut through the skin and hurt the organs and bones inside.

Marcus glared at Enel. The Devil fruit hunters' clothes were smoking and his skin was scolded. Still, he laughing as he started to walk towards Enel.

"I see…" Enel muttered coldly. "You use your power to amplify your physical attacks. Anything that gets close you to gets hurt."

"I cause atomic bonds to decay, if you want to be scientific about it," Marcus shouted happily. "Energy or matter, it doesn't matter. I can just shred it all. You really think you're the first overpowered Logia I've faced?"

Enel didn't look so arrogant anymore. He was bleeding, and that caused shivers to go down his spine. _God shouldn't bleed_. This man was clearly an abomination against nature and needed to be destroyed.

"Hmm…" Enel scowled. "So fighting you in close combat is clearly a bad idea. Still…" He slowly extended his arm. "If I just keep this distance and shoot lightning at you, is there anything you can do to stop it?"

The air cracked as the bolt of lightning shot forward. Marcus raised his hands and the air pulsed red in defence, yet the lightning just shot straight through. Every nerve felt like it was on fire. Marcus screamed, charging forward madly but Enel's assault never paused.

Marcus tried to shred the lightning away, but there was just too much power charging towards him. The Shred Shred fruit was best at shredding kinetic energy, and electricity cut through his defence. He couldn't stop it all. Marcus felt his hair burst into flames, his body writhing as the lightning caused him to thrash, staggering forward madly.

As Marcus got closer, Enel flashed away, carefully keeping his distance. Marcus was clearly a close combat fighter, but the Rumble Rumble fruit worked best at a distance. Marcus caught Enel unprepared at the beginning, but Enel could still control the fight.

Marcus' screams were ear-splitting. "Still alive?" Enel muttered coldly, frowning darkly. "I can still up the voltage!"

The blinding arc of light intensified, but Marcus just didn't fall down. His clothes were being burnt to cinders, yet he just kept on screaming.

It took Enel a while to realise what was wrong. Marcus wasn't screaming; he was _laughing_ loudly in a hysterical howl. The Devil fruit hunter was being burnt alive and he was laughing.

Enel stopped the arc of lightning, lowering his hand. Smoke was billowed from Marcus' body. Every inch of his skin was blistering painfully.

"More!" Marcus demanded, his eyes bulging madly. "Give me _more_! _MAKE ME FEEL IT_!"

He sprinted towards Enel. The god growled, and lashed out with a blast of lightning so powerful it took Marcus off his feet, zapping him straight through the ruins with a shower of debris. Marcus was in absolute agony. He _loved_ it.

"Come on!" Marcus roared. Enel stared incredulously. "Hit me harder! I'm going to take everything you've got and I'm going to pay back with interest!"

The god didn't respond. Marcus laughed like maniac. "You think you're the first Logia that's been able to throw me around like a ragdoll?!" He bellowed. "I've been buried in mountains of mud, frozen under piles of snow, stabbed by a hail of glass, choked by candy syrup, and drowned and then ignited in a goddamn pool of _oil_! All of those Logias thought they were invincible, but I still just kept on getting up for more!"

His eyes gleamed. "I. _Don't_. _Die_!" He shouted, throwing his arms up wide. "Hit me with all the lightning you want because I am still just going to keep on coming for you! Sooner or later you're going to run out of charge and when _that_ happen, _I'm going to rip you in half_!"

The laughter started again. Enel just glared at the mad man silently. "Oh, it's going to be fun! I'm going to pull out your spine!" Marcus yelled cheerfully. "I'm going crack your rips open and yank your heart out of your chest! I'm going to pound your skull to dust! I am going to hold your organs in my hands as I count them _one by one_!"

With a flick of Enel's wrist, a bolt of lightning crashed through the ruins. Marcus went shooting for the air, only for another thunderous crack like a whip to bat him in the other direction. Even as Marcus went crashing tonnes of rock, he didn't stop laughing. Blood was pouring down his body.

"Is that best you can do?" Marcus taunted, brushing the rubble of his body and staggering towards Enel. The air around him was igniting in sparks of flames. "Come on! Fight me! Do you want to see how long you'll last up close and personal?"

_Is this his Devil fruit power_… Enel thought quietly, _or is he really just _that_ insane?_ Either way, Enel was going to kill him.

Marcus grinned as Enel raised his hand for another attack. "Huh. Some 'God' you are…" Marcus mocked. "Not brave enough to fight someone on equal terms, eh? You're just a goddamn _coward_!"

Enel paused, glaring at Marcus furiously. There was a moment of silence. "Oh very well…" Enel muttered finally, his body tremoring with barely contained rage. It had been years since his heart pounded so hard. "If you want a fight, then let's make a game of it!"

The sky ruptured with a thunderous crack. Suddenly, a huge arc of lightning shot downwards, slicing through the Island Cloud in a smooth circle. The sound of Marcus' laughter was deafening, just as gravity reasserted itself.

In an instant, they were both falling downwards along with a mountain of rubble, crashing towards the surface of Upper Yard.

* * *

"It's this way…" Luffy muttered to himself, walking across the soft cloud surrounded by the ruins of Shandia. The base of Giant Jack was just in front of him. "Aisa definitely said that the loud voices came from this direction…"

From above, there was a huge crack, followed by a large chunk of cloud plummeting out of the sky in a flash of light. It crashed on the other side of beanstalk with so much force that the whole island tremored. Luffy started sprinting to take a look, glancing around quickly for any sign of Robin.

He paused as he glimpsed a figure lying on the ground, not moving a muscle. Luffy rushed over to see a tall, dark man with really cool hair lying unconscious on the cloud.

"Hey! Mister!" Luffy exclaimed, shaking the man's shoulders. "You alright?"

Slowly, the man's eyes flickered open. "Oh… how careless of me…" He murmured weakly, glancing around in panic. "… I am Gedatsu…"

Gedatsu's head was still spinning. His neck felt like it was at the wrong angle. He was looked side to side, his eyes spinning with disorientation. "What happened to you?" Luffy asked curiously.

"It was that woman… she…" He gulped and winced as he tried to move his neck.

Realisation dawned slowly. "Woman? Do you mean Robin?" Luffy's eyes narrowed as he looked Gedatsu up and down. "Are you a priest?"

Luffy's voice changed slightly. "Did you hurt Robin?"

Gedatsu clearly didn't notice the change in tone. "I tried to–!" He started in protest, but he was cut off quickly.

Luffy's arm moved all by itself. As soon as Gedatsu muttered the words 'I tried', Luffy's hand was already curling into a fist and slamming forward, planting itself into Gedatsu's face with extreme force. Not even Mantra could predict that one.

Luffy took a deep breath. The blow took the priest off the ground and crashing through the ruins. "Had to be done," Luffy decided after a few seconds, walking in the direction of the flying priest.

* * *

Enel used a Ball Dial to halt the fall, sitting cross-legged on the floating cloud as he drifted slowly to the ground.

Marcus wasn't so lucky. He crashed straight into the earth just as a mountain of stone collapsed on top of him. It took nearly thirty seconds for him to crawl out of the pile of debris on top of him.

The Devil fruit hunter glanced around. They were at the edge of the Shandia ruins, surrounded by rubble and looming trees. The looming shadow of the beanstalk towered covered everything. Marcus brushed of the dust from what little remained of his clothes.

"Yeah…" Marcus announced. "You're going to have to do better than that if you want to kill me."

Enel grinned. "Oh, I wasn't trying to kill you," he said, holding his arms out wide. "I just thought this would be a better place to a play a game."

Marcus chuckled, staggering towards the god over a pile of stone. "Fine by me!" He said happily. "Bring it!"

Enel waved his finger chidingly. "Not yet," he scolded. "We've got to wait for the _other_ players first."

Almost as soon as he said the words, there was a flapping of wings shooting overhead, and a man in heavy armour clanked to the ground. Enel's grin widened.

"So Gan Fall…" The god muttered. "Are you finally ready to face me?"

The ex-god stared at Enel coldly. His eyes were dark as Gan Fall raised his lance. "This ends here," Gan Fall threatened coldly. Behind him, Pierre, in horse hybrid form, snorted angrily.

"Oh no," Enel laughed. "This is just the beginning."

There was an explosion from the trees. In a blur, Gedatsu shot through the sky and crashed into clearing. The priest was missing teeth, and stammering almost incoherently. Marcus, Enel and Gan Fall just watched with mild surprise.

Gedatsu pulled himself up to stare at Enel with wide eyes. He didn't even notice the dark shadow walking up from behind. "Oh God!" The priest begged desperately. "I'm so sorr–"

There was a dull thud as Wiper slammed his bazooka down on Gedatsu from behind. The priest collapsed. The raider grunted as he heaved the weapon upwards, wiping Gedatsu's blood of the nozzle.

"I've wanted to do that for years," Wiper growled, turning to stare at Enel as he readied the God-Slayer. "Now it's your turn!"

The raider looked injured, with a deep cut across his chest that had been hastily treated. Still, Wiper's eyes glowed with fury.

A few seconds later, Luffy burst out of the trees on the other side, looking at Wiper, Enel, Marcus and Gan Fall in surprise. "Whoa…" He muttered. "Is there a meeting happening here?"

No one said a word. They all stared at each other, one by one. Enel turned to face the other side of the clearing, just as a large billow of smoke shot through the trees. Smoker instantly materialised, casting a dark glance at Luffy and Enel as he clutched his revolver.

"Hmph…!" The captain snorted, judging the situation quickly. Everything was tense.

After a few speechless seconds, Marcus broke the silence with a burst of laughter. "Well, this makes things easy!" The Devil fruit hunter exclaimed happily. "I love it when everyone crowds around me to die!"

Enel chuckled, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Well then, we've got the mercenary hunting my power…" He pointed towards Marcus, who waved at everyone. "… The old soldier fighting for his country…" Enel motioned at Gan Fall, who clutched his lance tighter. "… The warrior fighting to reclaim his homeland…" Wiper cast a murderous look at the god. "…The captain fighting for law and order…" Smoker cocked his revolver. "…And the pirate fighting for his companions…" Luffy looked around the group, slowly clenching his fists. He could feel the fight coming.

Everyone was staring at Enel with hatred.

Enel's smile was happier than it had been in years. _This looked like it might actually be fun_, the god mused. It had been years since Enel had had _fun_. "…And, of course, there's me. The God."

He slowly pulled his golden staff forward. "It looks like the semi-finalists are all here! So I suppose the question is…"

"…_Who wants to go first_?!"

* * *

**Usopp vs Berrit and Isaac**

A shrill scream broke through Usopp's lips as he charged forward, swinging his hammer blindly. He barely managed to duck under a right hook from Berrit, just as Isaac shot a bullet into the cliff face behind him.

"Will you just stomp the bastard already!" Isaac shouted with annoyance. His eyes were pulsing blue, but Usopp was very carefully avoiding his gaze. The skinny man was already suffering a major migraine from using his powers for so long.

"I'm goddamn trying!" Berrit shouted, nearly tripping over his feet as Usopp darted around him. Berrit sounded almost embarrassed. "He's a goddamn squirmy little bastard!"

Usopp couldn't spare the concentration for a snappy retort. It was taking everything he had just to avoid Berrit's attacks. He twisted around the large man as he lunged with a heavy fist, before slamming into Berrit with his shoulder and pushing Berrit into Isaac. In the moment of confusion, Usopp took the opportunity to slam his hammer down over Berrit's head.

It felt like hitting a brick wall with a toothpick. Usopp's wrist jarred. The hammer was a heavy mallet with a wooden handle, more suited to carpentry than battle but still quite heavy. Berrit just brushed the blow off like a insect bite. Usopp had to dive to avoid a furious kick.

Berrit charged after him furiously. Usopp rolled across the ground desperately, just as a boot slammed inches away from his face. Berrit was big, incredibly strong and surprisingly fast, while Isaac was an unnervingly good shot. Only by staying close to Berrit, dancing around his attacks by staying close and using his body to avoid Isaac's line of sight had Usopp managed to survive, but he was already talking injuries.

His bones felt like they had shattered from Berrit's repeated blows, and he had already been shot in the arm and shoulder by Isaac. Still, the adrenaline was pounding through his body so furiously he couldn't even feel the pain. There was no time for weakness here. If Usopp missed a step, he would die quickly.

_I'm facing two guys who are stronger, faster, tougher and, hell, probably smarter than me_, Usopp thought desperately, spinning around just as Berrit tried to tackle him to the ground. _They've both got dangerous powers, and they are very angry with me._

_Yes, well, that's alright because I've got… umm… I have…_ He was still trying to work out where his advantage was.

Berrit swung a furious elbow. Usopp tried to dodge, but he was milliseconds too late. The blow hit him in his stomach firmly, and then suddenly Berrit grabbed him by the collar and heaved his whole body off the ground.

"I've goddamn got you now!" Berrit roared triumphantly, holding Usopp up high with one arm. Usopp's head spun.

_Oh hell_, Usopp thought desperately, _I've never had that much dignity anyways_…

Usopp's whole body shuddered. Berrit's eyes widened in shock, and then the next second Usopp was gagging just as he puked everywhere. It wasn't hard; he had already been hit in the stomach enough times. The sick sprayed outwards just as Berrit dropped him in disgust.

"You fucking goddamn bastard!" Berrit roared furiously. The sick covered his face and shoulders. Berrit was still staring with horror and revulsion, just as Usopp slammed his hammer down on head. Usopp honestly didn't care if it was clean or fair. He just couldn't afford to lose.

_Thank god no one else saw that_, Usopp thought desperately, _but if it works_…

Isaac stared at him incredulously, raising his gun. Usopp lashed out with the first thing he grabbed; which happened to be an elastic band left in his pocket, flicking in it blindly. The little rubber band flicked against Isaac's eye, and the man winced in surprise as he tripped over.

Usopp was left momentarily speechless. _You mean that after all this time_… He thought in shock, _that 'Usopp Rubber Band' actually _works_?!_

Berrit was already pulling himself up, staring at Usopp with fury as he tried to wipe his face. Isaac was recovering quickly. Usopp made a snap decision. _I've got to separate them_, he thought finally, _I could maybe beat one of them, but not both together._

He cast a worried glance towards the unconscious Chopper, Vivi and Carue. One stray bullet could be fatal. _And I've got to move the fight away from them_...

"Come on!" Usopp taunted, already running down the path. "If you want me, come and get me!"

Berrit screamed and gave chase. The large man looked murderous. Isaac hesitated and followed a second later.

"Berrit!" Isaac warned. "Don't let him infuriate you!"

"That's easy for you to say when you don't have goddamn _sick_ on your goddamn _face_!" Berrit retorted, sprinting down the pathway and catching up to Usopp in an instant. Usopp ducked and dodged to the side, while Isaac tried to take aim from behind. The path was too narrow and Berrit was blocking the way.

Usopp danced around Berrit blows, walking backwards as Berrit launched forward. They were approaching the Devil fruit hunter's ship, moored on the side of the Milky Road. Usopp's heart was pounding like a drum. _The ground is stony and slippery, and he's angry_, Usopp thought suddenly, _big boots have a disadvantage here. I've just got to trip him off the side_…

Suddenly, Isaac darted behind Berrit, and for one frantic second Usopp made eye contact. He shut his eyes quckly, but it was enough to mess up his pace. Berrit's face slammed into his shoulder, and suddenly Usopp felt a force stomp him to the ground.

"Got you!" Berrit roared.

By pure force of will, Usopp managed to pull himself up, but he had lost the flow of the battle. Berrit's fist slammed against his chest, followed by a boot in his stomach. The impacts caused his head to spin, but he somehow managed to stay standing.

Isaac got his shot and a bullet pierced into Usopp's shoulder. The pain felt cold. Berrit grabbed Usopp from the throat, punching him repeatedly with his other hand, before finally stomping him into the ground. His hammer dropped over the cliff. Usopp could barely feel his heartbeat anymore.

_I'm not going to win here_, Usopp realised suddenly. His body was too numb to feel any pain, but he knew he was going to die if he kept on fighting.

With a wheezy breath, Usopp still stood up again. There were tears in his eyes. He had no weapon, so he raised his fists in a crude boxing stance.

Berrit just stared at him incredulously. "Won't you just stay down already?!"

Usopp forced a grin. "_Never_."

_If I'm going to die, then I'm going to hold these guys back as long as possible_, Usopp vowed. He wondered briefly how much longer his body would last. He was a bit surprised it had lasted this long.

A hulking fist slammed into his face. Usopp's nose cracked again. He tried to respond with an uppercut of his own, but it felt like punching a solid brick wall. With a desperate scream, Usopp launched himself at Berrit, trying frantically to tackle the man off the side.

Berrit scoffed as he simply sent Usopp flying with a powerful backhanded swipe.

The world blurred around him as Usopp twisted through the air. Usopp landed roughly on wooden planks, crashing on to the Devil fruit hunter's skipper. It was so hard to breathe.

"Just kill him!" Isaac ordered, raising his gun to shoot at Usopp. With energy that he never realised he had left, Usopp dived for cover into the hold of their ship. They were both already sprinting after him.

Usopp's strength failed him. He had to crawl through the hold of the skipper, down a narrow alley surround on either side by cupboards filled with crates. His legs weren't responding anymore. Two long shadows loomed over him.

There was a sound of a gun being cocked. Usopp turned to see Isaac readying his flintlock. Berrit stood behind Isaac, washing his face with a towel.

"Let's finish this…" Isaac sighed, aiming his flintlock at Usopp's forehead. At this range, he wasn't going to miss. His voice was almost sympathetic. "You fought hard, sure, but you were never going to win against us. Just let it go already."

Usopp tried to squirm. He grabbed the cupboard and tried to pull himself upwards, but he never had the strength left. He couldn't even stand up. The nozzle of Isaac's gun touched gently against his head.

Finally, Usopp stopped struggling. Isaac's finger was on the trigger. "Any last words?" The man asked, slowly pulling the trigger in.

Usopp grinned, a light chuckle bursting from his throats. Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks.

There were no lies left.

"Yes…" Usopp stammered. "…I _am_ a brave warrior…!"

Isaac pulled the trigger.

Suddenly, Usopp found the very last reserves of his strength. He dropped to the ground just as the bullet skimmed through his hair, but Usopp's hand was still holding on the cupboard next to him. With a huge creak, the cupboard toppled, causing the huge crates to crash onto Isaac.

The chaos was enough time for Usopp to drag himself backwards. The crates were smashing down around him. One of the crates burst open and spilled its contents over the ground. Usopp's eyes bulged. This was a Devil fruit hunters' ship, after all. Suddenly, he was laughing again, more furious than ever.

"Oh screw it!" Usopp shouted loudly, his hand wrapping around green Devil fruit shaped like a plum. Isaac's eyes bulged in shock. "Everyone else has one…!"

He slammed the fruit into his mouth. It tasted as foul as swamp water, but Usopp swallowed it whole anyways. He almost gagged, but then his outline wavered like water and started to shift.

"_Whoa_…" Usopp muttered in shock, staring at his hand while his body changed shape. His skin rippled and started to change colour and texture. Everything around him looked like it was getting smaller. Or perhaps he was growing bigger. Much bigger.

Berrit and Isaac stared with speechless shock. Isaac took a step back nervously. "Umm… Berrit…?" He asked in a hushed quiet voice. Usopp was still growing, and becoming broader. Isaac could see the muscles taking shape. "Which fruit did he just eat…?"

Berrit blinked, sniffing the air hesitantly. Usopp was a hulking shape now, covered in dark shadows while his new body continued to take form. "Umm… It's definitely Zoan… Very pungent… smells like…"

His eyes bugled. "_OH GODDAMN_…!"

**Round 2:**

**Berrit and Isaac vs Monster Usopp**

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Well, this was an extra long, bloody and violent chapter. But we're coming up quickly to the big climax now, and the contenders are dropping quickly.**

**Next chapter: 'Monster'**

* * *

**Also, I've recently published a new story, a Fairy Tail fanfic called 'Fire and Spirit', mostly because I wanted to write something a bit more lighthearted. It shouldn't interfere with 'Nine Minutes' updates though, at least for now.**

**As well as this, after lots of different suggestions I've grown curious and started a poll on a my profile to see which character(s) the readers want to join the Straw Hat Pirates at the end of this arc. I've put up a list of potential crewmates (not all of them viable or even sane) up in a multi-choice poll on my profile. Feel free to vote for your favourite.**


	18. Chapter 18: Monster

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I am still nursing the bruises after trying to rob Eiichiro Oda of the ownership of One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Battles are erupting throughout Upper Yard. Usopp faces off against the Devil fruit hunters Berrit and Isaac, and eats a Devil fruit to beat them. Sanji challenges Captain Hina and the Marines, while Luffy, Smoker, Marcus, Wiper, Gan Fall and Enel collide...**_

* * *

**Chapter 18: Monster**

* * *

Usopp's body rippled as his bones shifted and muscles sagged. He tried to gasp, but he couldn't breath as his lungs collapsed. It felt like his whole body was being transformed, piece by piece, but somehow it didn't hurt. There was just a numb sensation as his body grew and reshaped.

His vision was hit the worst. Between his size growing, his pupils dilating, and his eyes moving further apart, Ussop's head was sent spinning by the surreal experience. It might have lasted a few seconds, but it felt like longer as his whole body reformed and he was hit by new sights, sounds and sensations that he had never before. Slowly, he managed to focus on his hand, only to realise that his skin had turned brown and warty, and he now had four, long fingers. His hand was rough and dry.

"Whoa…" Usopp muttered in surprise, but voice was different. It was louder, more throaty, almost like a croak.

The wooden planks he was standing on were groaning under his weight; he was larger, heavier and much, much fatter. His every perception had changed; he could now see more than 270 degrees around his body from bulbous eyes on the side of his head, easily picking up every slight motion through elongated pupils.

Isaac and Berrit were staring at him with shock. The look of absolute disbelief on their faces brought a long grin across Usopp's wide face and gaping mouth. It was only when he felt the length of his tongue in his mouth that he made the connection.

"Holy shit, I'm a _toad_," Usopp muttered slowly, and there was a phrase that he had never thought he would say.

He was in the body of a hulking toad so large that he pressed against the ceiling, at least seven foot tall even as he crouched, but he was broad and fat that he dominated that entire room. Flaps of dry, warty skin covered his body, while his head was wide and flat with a bony ridge over his bulbous, round eyes. His hind legs felt large and muscular, curled up behind him, ready to leap. Usopp was still wearing his grey overalls, but they had grown with his body while his boots had been torn off to reveal large, webbed feet. His slingshot in his pocket was now so small he could barely use it. His mouth felt so large he could swallow a man whole, as he ran his tongue over five rows of peg-like teeth.

"The Toad Toad fruit, Cane Toad Model…" Berrit murmured darkly, cracking his knuckles. Suddenly, Berrit didn't look so big. In terms of height, Berrit was still slightly larger, yet Usopp's toad form dominated the man in terms of mass. Isaac glared at him furiously, clutching his gun tightly.

_Ok_… Usopp thought, the panic rising in him, _I'm a Cane Toad now. You can freak out about that later. I'm in full toad form right now, so how do I change to hybrid…?_

"You bastard!" Isaac shouted angrily, his flintlock shooting upwards. "Do you have any idea how much that fruit was worth?"

Usopp moved on instinct, and apparently he had a whole new set of instincts. His mouth burst open and a long, spotty and slimy tongue whipped out of his mouth fifteen feet towards Isaac, wrapping around his head in the blink of an eye. The man screamed in shock as Usopp's muscled tongue slammed him against the wall, causing more crates to crash to the ground.

The tongue shot back inside his mouth. Usopp raised a toad hand to his throat, eyes bulging in amazement. "Holy shit…!" Usopp gasped. It was taking a lot for him not to freak out.

"Why you?!" Berrit growled angrily, slamming forward with a heavy uppercut.

Usopp jumped backwards, or at least he tried to. His muscles were completely foreign. As soon as he unleashed his hind legs, his whole body accelerated upwards with breakneck speed. He burst through the roof of the skipper, but he never even felt it. In an instant, he was flying upwards into the sky, watching the whole island stretch out beneath.

The air rushed by him. His heart was pounding like a sledgehammer. He could hardly even feel his previous injuries as strong toad muscles took over. Suddenly, he was laughing with elation as he watched the ship get smaller and smaller.

"_Holy shit_!" Usopp screamed joyfully, dropping downwards like a stone. "Oh, I can work with _this_!"

The adrenaline pounded through his body. His muscles were screaming. In an instant, he felt a like a monster. It was brilliant.

"Get that punk!" Isaac roared, staggering out of the ship. His body was coated in saliva. "Rip my Devil fruit out of his stomach!"

Usopp was laughing, with huge croaky chuckles of breath. He landed on the top of the cliff, before bounding downwards in a huge leap. Berrit charged out to meet him, the man's muscles bulging as he slammed both hands outwards.

"Take this!" Berrit bellowed. "_Two Ton Stomp_!"

The force dropped downwards like a boot falling from the sky. Usopp barely managed to dodge, just as the impact pounded a circular depression into the rocky cliff. Isaac was out on deck, his eyes glowing brightly. Usopp had to clench his eyes shut and jump away, leaping over cliff side with ease.

_These guys are still dangerous_, Usopp thought with panic, _and twice as dangerous when they're fighting together. I need to separate them_…

An idea came to him, just as Isaac fired a salvo of bullets into the cliff. Usopp leapt away, his strong legs pushing him through the air, dropping towards the skipper. Usopp was still getting used to his new body and ended up overshooting, but grabbed a hold of the skipper's mast and swinging down towards the ground. His huge mass almost caused the ship to capsize as he crashed onto the deck, splitting planks of wood.

"Berrit!" Isaac shouted, twisting towards Usopp, gun flashing furiously. Usopp had to jump backwards, leaping onto the top of the skipper.

"On it!" Berrit shouted, charging at Usopp furiously. He was panting slightly, but still looked ready to brawl.

Usopp grinned, just as his tongue shot down through the hole of the skipper's roof, wrapping around two large crates. "Hey!" Usopp shouted happily, flicking the large boxes up into his hands with his tongue. Toady fingers wrapped around the metal lockboxes tightly, each one containing a Devil fruit. "How much are Devil fruits worth again? A hundred million? Perhaps more?"

Isaac's face contorted in fury. "Put those down! They're mine!"

The grin on his face was predatory. "If you insist..." Usopp murmured drawing his arm back and slinging the crate in to the air. "Go catch!"

Isaac blurred as he leapt for the box. Usopp twisted around and threw the other Devil fruit in the opposite direction. Berrit barely managed to catch it before it fell over the edge. Usopp was already picking up two more. There had been a dozen, but Usopp was going through them quickly.

_There's a large fortune in this boat_, Usopp realised, _and Nami would so kill me if she saw what I'm doing now_. Somehow, that only made it more enjoyable.

"Fetch!" Usopp shouted gleefully, launching a third box into the distance. Isaac watch in horror as the crate disappeared into the forest below.

"Stop him!" Isaac roared. "That's our _money_!"

Berrit charged for him, but Usopp was already hurling the other crate to the side of him. Berrit hesitated for one moment, before changing direction and leaping for the Devil fruit. His fingers brushed against the side of the box in mid-air, just as Usopp's tongue wrapped around his leg and yanked him backwards.

"_No_!" Isaac cried, watching another hundred million disappear into the forest below. He was too distracted, he never even noticed Usopp's tongue spin Berrit around and tossing the large man towards Isaac. The two men collided in a mess of flailing limbs, just as Usopp leapt towards them with unstoppable momentum.

Isaac staggered upwards and raised his gun, but Usopp shoulder barged him with the force of a steam train. Isaac was sending crashing into the mast of the ship, while Usopp slammed a powerful leg straight into Berrit back.

Every other blow felt like Usopp was pounding a brick wall, but this time Usopp felt the crush of muscle and bone under his foot. Berrit roared in agony, but recovered like a monster, jumping to his feet and slamming heavy blows at Usopp. Despite Usopp's new bulk, he was surprisingly agile as he darted backwards, standing on his hind legs as he dodged Berrit's wide blows.

_This guy is too strong in close combat_, Usopp thought frantically, but his body was still bursting with energy. Usopp dodged to the side, kicking up a large foot that collided with Berrit's side and knocked him to the ground.

Berrit roared and jumped again, but Usopp responded instinctively by spitting. A huge chunk of ooze burst from his gullet, splattering into Berrit's face and causing the man to crash blindly to the ground

"Cool…" Usopp muttered in satisfaction. His body was brand new. Every muscle was different and Usopp was still trying to work through it. "Toad ooze…"

Through his peripheral vision, Usopp glimpsed Isaac standing upwards, and responded by spitting a glob of ooze with enough to force to send Isaac crashing to the ground.

The skinny man groaned and stared with terror at the slime covering his body. "Damn you!" He cried in despair, clutching at his suit. "This is my favourite suit!"

Usopp chuckled, feeling happier and more powerful than he had ever felt. Suddenly, he knew what it was like to be strong. Berrit staggered to his feet, glaring at Usopp with pure rage.

"I will goddamn stomp you!" Berrit screamed, staggering forward. "I will stomp your goddamn bones into dust.

The toad grinned madly, a slimy tongue licking his lips. Usopp shot his hand out and grabbed a lantern from the ship, smashing through the glass as he ignited the flame. "Let's see you try…!" Usopp croaked, taking a deep breath. There was so much about his new body that he wanted to try out.

His lungs just kept on expanding, his whole body swelling as the air burst inside of him. The realisation hit Berrit too late, but Usopp was bulging like a bomb ready to explode. The large man dived to the ground, but Usopp was already spitting outwards.

"Toad oil!" Usopp shouted, just as the torrent of air and oil hit the open flame and exploded into an inferno, slamming towards Berrit. The fire collided with enough force to send Berrit flying into the prow of the ship, screaming in pain.

"Do you remember all those times you _stomped_ me?" Usopp yelled angrily, jumping into the sky with a powerful leap. Berrit desperately tried to put out the flames, his eyes widening in panic as he saw the gigantic toad crashing onto him like a cannonball. "Thanks for that!"

"Usopp…" The toad shouted loudly, drawing his legs back just before he landed. "_STOMP_!"

The force caused the skipper to tear apart, splitting the prow cleanly off as it slammed through the Milky Road. Usopp felt Berrit's body crack under his feet, just before he leapt upwards and the large man fell towards the ground with a large chunk of the skipper.

Usopp was panting heavily, but he only felt satisfaction as he saw Berrit disappear into the Milky Road. The whole skipper was drooping, only being held up by the moorings to the cliff side, Usopp took a deep breath, dropping to four legs as he turned around.

There was a click of gun being cocked. Isaac was standing on the ship, clutching his flintlock with both hands as he glared at Usopp. The slender man didn't look so good; he was slouching unable to stand up straight, and his hands were trembling. Isaac's face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot.

"You… you…" Isaac gasped weakly, breathing wheezily. "…you're just a pathetic_ liar_…"

"You don't look that well," Usopp muttered, eyes narrowing. It still surprised him how strong and throaty his voice sounded.

The man looked like he was trying to respond, but could barely breath. His gun was trembling madly.

"Tell me, did you ever go splashing around in swamps when you were a kid?" Usopp muttered, almost conversationally. His eyes were cold. "Did you ever go hunting for frogs and toads?"

Isaac didn't respond. Usopp took a small leap forward. "Well, _I_ did," he continued. "And let me tell you something I learnt…"

Usopp took a deep breath. "Cane toads are _toxic_."

He raised a toad finger to point at the large parotoid gland on the side of his meaty neck, behind the eyes, still throbbing gently as it secreted toxin over his warty skin.

_Wow, that was a weird thought_, Usopp thought quietly, somehow maintaining his composure, _I am _really_ going to freak about that later_…

Isaac's eyes bulged with fear. He seemed to be having trouble moving. The memory of Usopp charging into him flashed before his eyes, and all that sweaty skin making contact.

"Bufotoxin. It's actually a neurotoxin, I think," Usopp continued, slowly stepping forward, frowning as he struggled to remember. "Usually it's not fatal to humans, but, well, I don't think anyone's ever tested what a giant, seven-foot tall toad could do. That's a _lot_ of poison. That's enough to be absorbed straight through the skin." He touched his parotoid glands curiously, and the toxic ooze still sweeping out, though it did seem to be slowing down as his heartbeat calmed. His skin felt rough, warty, and sweaty.

Usopp's childhood days of toad hunting were rushing back to him. It had been an adventurous childhood. "It attacks the heart and blood flow. Symptoms include twitching, shallow breathing, vomiting, inflammation, hallucinations, intense pain…"

Isaac was barely standing. The gun dropped out of his trembling hands as he nearly collapsed to the ground. His eyes were bloodshot, staring unfocused upwards, unable to activate his Daze Daze fruit powers.

Usopp was standing above him now, looking down with an unreadable expression. Not that Isaac could see him. "….and _blindness_," Usopp finished finally.

There was a moment's pause. Slowly, Usopp's tongue snatched the keys for the Seastone handcuffs off Isaac's belt, clutching them tightly in his hands. Isaac stared upwards at Usopp with pure, mute dread. The memory of Isaac holding a gun to Vivi's head, of him shooting Carue, and of him standing next Marcus as the psycho tortured Luffy all flashed before Usopp's eyes. This man tried to murder Usopp's friends for their Devil fruits.

"Do remember how I said I'd let you live if you surrendered?" Usopp said finally.

Isaac nodded with frenzy, still struggling to breathe. Usopp gently placed his hand on Isaac's chest.

"Well…" The toad muttered. "…Apparently, I was lying."

With a gentle push, Usopp shoved the man over the ledge. Isaac didn't even have time to scream before he was swallowed by the Milky Road. Usopp watched for a few seconds, before slowly jumping away.

* * *

"If you're going to fight," Hina shouted, as her arms extended into iron bars. "Then you should do it properly!"

The bars slammed into either side of the valley and expanded outwards, forming a cage around Sanji. The chef grunted, leaping over the metal-fence like cage. Behind Hina, the marines watched in awe, but the valley was too narrow for them to take part in the fight.

"Fight?" Sanji replied casually, just as the cage banged together beneath him, nearly catching his fingers as he cartwheeled over the iron bars. He shot Hina a smile. "I'm really more of a lover than fighter."

"That's obvious," she retorted. "You most certainly couldn't be anything _less_ of a fighter."

He grinned as he jumped over her the cage. A couple of Marines were trying to take aim with their rifles, and Sanji charged in response. He spun pass Hina, his feet pounding furiously as the Marines collapsed to the ground. Fullbody tried to attack with a boxer's jab, his iron knuckles glinting in the air, but Sanji avoided the blow and sent a kick into the man's chin that knocked him upwards.

A second later, Hina was on him, sprouting bars from her fingers as she tried to capture him. Still, she couldn't use her full power when Sanji was surrounded by her own men, while in the chaos Sanji was cutting through the marines like a hot knife through butter. The cramped conditions and disorder were terrible for the marines, and the chef took full advantage of that.

An iron bar landed a glancing blow on the pirate's shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Hina was on him in a second, her foot blazing as she slammed blow after blow. Sanji had to twist to avoid, while the marines cheered their captain on and tried to charge.

"Stay back!" Hina ordered, unwilling to let anyone else get in the way. The pirate was doing everything he could to avoid fighting her, and she never wanted to give him any of her men to hide behind. "Hina will take care of him!"

"But captain–" Fullbody shouted in protested.

"Hina said stay back!" Hina snapped, throwing a fierce jab towards Sanji. The chef barely dodged, and her fist ended up punching four iron bolts into the rock cliff face. Still, Sanji grinned.

"I knew you wanted me all for yourself!" He said with a sly smile, backing away slightly.

"You're flirting when you should be fighting," Hina shouted, spinning her fist towards him with lightning speed.

Sanji dodged backwards, chuckling slightly. He launched a sharp kick, but again stopped his foot inches away from her face.

The chef winked cheekily. "Now what's the point in being a pirate if you can't do _both_?"

Hina simply scoffed, spinning her leg around in roundhouse kick.

Sanji couldn't avoid the blow in time. He blocked with his own leg, only for Hina's to phase straight through him. Her leg transformed into a iron, rippling as it locked around Sanji's ankle. When she pulled away, there was an iron manacle around his right leg, and an iron chain connecting him to Hina's right leg.

Hina smirked, raising her arms. "Let's see you avoid Hina now!"

The first uppercut nearly took Sanji's head off. He barely avoided the blow by leaning backwards, only for Hina to drag his footing away using the chain, and slam his body into the ground with a vicious kick.

Sanji gasped in shock, feeling the rock crack underneath him. "Alright, then," Sanji murmured, struggling to pull himself up. The captain was undeniably strong. "If you want to dance, then lets _dance_."

He swung his leg around, catching Hina off-guard as he tripped her over. He ducked under a vicious jab, only to pull himself close to her and gently wrap his arms around her body. He felt her gasp in surprise as he placed one hand over her shoulders and the on her hips, as if preparing for slow dance. Sanji's grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Captain Hina!" Fullbody shouted in shock, standing a few meters away.

"What sort of wrestling hold is that?" Jango exclaimed in confusion.

She glared at him, but Sanji never moved. He kept his body close to hers while gingerly touching her. "What are you doing?" She growled darkly.

"I'm _dancing_," Sanji said softly. "Aren't you going to use your powers to bind me in place like this? Then we could dance forever?"

She glowered at him. No, she couldn't use her powers properly when he was close and holding on to her, otherwise she would end up binding herself, and she couldn't restrain him if he didn't attack.

"Well, Hina could always just do _this_," she muttered, jamming her knee into his stomach painfully.

The force nearly knocked Sanji to the ground. His teeth clenched, but somehow he managed to keep his position.

"Ow...!" He staggered, before recomposing himself, flashing a smile. "Nope, still worth it. If that is the price of being close to such beauty, then I will take a hundred blows before I let go!"

Hina smiled sweetly. "Challenge accepted," she replied, cracking her knuckles.

The first punch crashed into Sanji's chest. He grimaced, but kept a hold of his pose, gently spinning around as if they were actually dancing. The second uppercut nearly knocked his teeth out, but still he just kept on grinning.

"Do you know how beautiful you look?" He muttered coolly, lighting a cigarette.

"_Yes_," Hina growled, slamming her fists in again. Their bodies danced across the ground; with Sanji keeping close to her while she lashed with a furious onslaught of attacks.

"I don't believe it," Sanji replied, ducking under a fist. "No one could ever know the beauty that I'm seeing right now…"

A brief smile flashed across her face, followed by a roundhouse kick that sent Sanji skidding across the dirt. He recovered like a champ, jumping up and holding her hands to spin her body around lightly. Hina responded by slamming her leg into his face.

He was laughing as he took the blow. Hina couldn't help but grin as she saw the playfulness in his eyes. She kept on firing blow after blow, faster than ever before, yet Sanji just sidestepped them all. He was panting heavily and bleeding, but the chef was still going as strong as ever. His reflexes were brilliant as he matched her pace perfectly, never missing a step.

She threw a roundhouse punch, only for Sanji to grab her arm and lightly pulled her over, leaning her body backwards. His lips gently touched hers for a fleeting kiss. The moment lasted maybe a second, before Hina grabbed his head and slammed him into the ground.

Around them, the marines were charging forward, led by a furious Jango and Fullbody. "Captain Hina–!" They both cried together.

"I said stay back!" Hina shouted irritably, dropping the third person. Her cheeks were blushing slightly. She thumped her foot into the ground, and a barred cage burst upwards, blocking the path of the marines and leaving Sanji and Hina to fight alone.

He was grinning as she wrestled him against the cliff. She smirked slightly as he twisted the grappling hold around.

Hina thudded her foot in the ground and suddenly the bars of the cage closed, leaving a completely opaque wall that stretched into a cage to enclose the pair. In an instant, the marines were left to stare at the metal box, while the only the sound of movement could be heard from inside. It sounded like a wrestling match.

"Whoa…" Fullbody muttered in amazement. "Captain Hina is fighting so hard."

Jango was standing next to him, looking at the cage with awe. Around them, the other marines were glancing at each other with various degrees of confusion.

There was a shrill scream from inside the cage, followed by low moan. Slowly, the mood turned awkward.

Only Jango and Fullbody seemed completely oblivious. "That must be some fight," Jango agreed, nodding his head. The rest of the men looked at each other, wondering what they were supposed to do now.

* * *

Vivi woke up slowly. Her head was sore and foggy, and her eyes flickered unsteadily. Slowly, she gained consciousness just to realise the air was rushing by her, and she opened her eyes just to see the forest crashing into focus.

She screamed. There was no conscious thought involved, but instead she just suddenly screamed as she tried to take stock of her surroundings. She was lying on her side, clutching a rough, dry surface tightly. With a tremendous lurch, she hit the ground and came to a halt with small bounce.

"Hey!" A voice shouted from below. It was a deep, throaty voice, but nevertheless sounded strangely familiar. "Don't scream like that!"

Vivi blinked, her head still spinning madly. It took her a long time to realise that she was lying on the back of a giant brown toad, clutching at its muscular back. "What the–!?" Vivi gasped, unable to finish the exclamation. Her mind was too bewildered and the sight was too weird.

"Alright, it's a bit weird," the croaky voice muttered sheepishly. "But I can explain."

She jumped off the toad's back, stumbling as she landed on the rough ground. It was the largest toad she had ever seen, slowly turning around to face her. It was a toad that was wearing overalls. She stared into a pair of globular eyes with shock, and it was only then that she realised where she recognised the voice.

"_Usopp_!?" Vivi gasped.

"Hi there," Usopp croaked, raising a four fingered hand awkwardly. He grinned brightly, and _there_ was a disturbing sight. She was suddenly staring into a large, gaping toad grin.

"_Usopp_!?"

"Let's not freak out about this,"

"You're a _frog_!"

"I'm a toad, actually," he said helpfully.

Vivi's mouth dropped open. From Usopp's back, there was shifting sound. Dazedly, Chopper scrambled upwards, rubbing his eyes with tiny hooves.

"What happened?" The reindeer muttered.

"Usopp's a frog!"

"I said toad!" Usopp snapped irritably, jumping on the spot.

Chopper frowned, and then glanced downwards. His eyes bulged and his hat flew off as he screamed with pure panic, before scrambling to Vivi's side.

"AHH! Giant toad!" Chopper screamed frantically, hiding behind Vivi's leg.

"See?" Usopp said, motioning at Vivi. "_Toad_."

Chopper was blinking repeatedly, stammering as he tried to understand what was happening. "What's going on?!" He shrieked at Vivi.

"It's Usopp!"

"What? Where?" Chopper exclaimed, looking around side to side.

"_Here_!" Usopp waved his hands up and down. It was a strange sight on a toad so large and daunting.

Chopper's eyes nearly burst out of their sockets. "Oh my god!" He shouted in a high pitched voice. "Usopp's been eaten by a toad!"

"Huh? No, Chopper, I am–"

"Don't worry Usopp!" Chopper screamed, transforming into his Heavy point. "We'll get you out of there!"

He raised his fist threateningly, and Vivi had to jump in front of the doctor. "No Chopper!" She soothed. "That _is_ Usopp…"

There was a pause. "I ate a Devil fruit," Usopp murmured finally.

Chopper dropped down to his normal size in stunned silence. Usopp shifted awkwardly.

"_Usopp_?!" Chopper exclaimed in a stunned voice.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Usopp sighed with despair.

"But you're a _toad_!"

"Can you please not make a big deal about this?" Usopp begged pleadingly, his eyes wide. "Because I'm trying _really_ hard not to freak out right now, but I'm never going to be able to swim again and I'll be toad for the rest of my life, so could you please just pretend like everything's alright?"

Chopper paused for a few seconds, before exclaiming, "But you're a _toad_!"

Usopp face-palmed, or snout-palmed as the expression might be. Vivi looked around anxiously, rubbing her wrists. There was still a red mark from the Seastone handcuffs. "Those Devil fruit hunters…" She said finally. "What happened to them?"

"I got rid of them," Usopp answered simply. "They're gone. I had to eat a Devil fruit to do it. Nami's missing and Sanji's holding off Marines, so I figured we needed to get to the Going Merry as soon as possible and then search for everyone from there."

Vivi nodded hesitantly, before pausing. "Where's Carue?" She asked anxiously.

"Right here," Usopp replied, shifting out the way so Vivi could see the large duck. Carue was shivering, weak and barely conscious, and Vivi and Chopper rushed to his side quickly. Usopp had been carrying Carue in his arms while Vivi and Chopper were on his back. "He's been shot, and looks pretty weak. I wrapped up his bandage, but I thought I should get safely to the ship before Chopper sees him."

The doctor nodded, instantly seriously as he inspected Carue's hastily fastened bandage. "That's… not nice," Chopper admitted nervously. "It needs disinfecting and treating. I need my supplies on the ship."

Vivi glanced around. They were making good progress and entering the forest again, but without the high ground it was impossible to see the Going Merry.

Usopp shifted around, gingerly picking up Carue with one hand. His huge bulk was very awkward for small motions, Usopp had realised. "We're not far," he muttered. "Get on my back; it'll be faster that way."

Vivi paused, staring at the warty surface uncertainly. Even Chopper hesitated. Usopp sighed. "It's either on my back or in my mouth," Usopp said in complete seriousness.

That made the decision easier, but Vivi was still nervous as she stepped up over Usopp's hind legs and pushed herself on to the uncomfortable back, feeling his spine dig into her legs. Usopp was so broad that his back was as wide as sofa, and surprisingly rough. Chopper held onto Vivi tightly, while the princess clutched the back of Usopp's overalls.

The toad hesitated. "Also…" Usopp muttered uncomfortably. "Try not to touch the warts so much. I'm trying hard not to poison you."

"What?" Vivi exclaimed in fear, snatching her hands away. "Poison?!"

"Hey, I said I'm trying _not_ to poison you," Usopp muttered defensively, just as his legs unleashed in an immensely powerful jump.

The world blurred as the acceleration forced them into Usopp's back. Vivi and Chopper screamed in terror, clutching each other tightly, and then they reached the peak of the leap gravity seemed to stop. Vivi had to hang on just as the world came tumbling downwards. They landed on the ground with a huge wallop, breaking into another furious jump.

Somehow, each jump was more terrifying than the previous. Vivi could only glimpse the forest rushing by her, yet Usopp managed to blur through the forest with strong, powerful bounds. _He needs a saddle_, Vivi thought frantically, clutching on for dear life, _this would be so much more comfortable with a saddle_…

Without warning, Usopp skidded to a halt, sliding across the foliage roughly. Chopper's eyes were spinning madly from disorientation, while Vivi felt like she was going to be sick. She had to clutch on tightly while her head rolled.

"I'm going to be sick down your overalls," Vivi belched weakly. "I swear that if you do that again I'm going to be sick down your overalls."

He didn't respond. Despite everything, Usopp's heart was still skipping from his new powers. He hop through the air, moving closer to the figure he glimpsed staggering through the forest.

"Hey Nami!" Usopp shouted happily, waving his hand frantically.

The navigator paused. She was weak, tired and injured, but she was still making good progress while using Ohm's sword as a giant walking stick. Her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped as she saw the giant toad wearing overalls, hopping towards her cheerfully while carrying a duck under its hand.

_You know_, Nami thought with a weird calm, _it says a lot about my life that this _isn't_ the weirdest thing I've ever seen_…

"Hey Nami," the giant toad croaked excitedly. "Glad we've found you. We've got to get to the Going Merry straight away."

She stared for a long time, slowly recognising the voice. "…Usopp?" She asked disbelieving, taking a step backwards.

"Oh yes," Usopp nodded, the folds of fat wobbling with every movement. "I'm a toad now. A toad, not a frog – A _toad_. I've ate a Devil fruit, I haven't been eaten by a toad. Everything's fine, don't freak out."

Nami didn't respond for a while. "What the hell happened when I was gone?" Nami muttered weakly, her head spinning. Perhaps it was the blood loss causing her to hallucinate, she thought slowly.

"I'll explain later. We've got to get to ship," Usopp said urgently. "Now get on my back."

"What?" Nami staggered in confusion. "I'm not getting on your back."

Usopp sighed. "Suit yourself," he muttered, just before lashing out with a whip-like tongue. Nami could only scream as the slimy tongue wrapped around her body and lifted her upwards.

"USOPP!" Nami shouted furiously, still thrashing madly. The tongue was surprisingly muscular, and held her in mid-air. "Put me down right now!"

She swore that Usopp was smirking just before he leapt upwards. The air rushed by her and then Nami started screaming madly.

"I'll cut off your tongue!" She screeched. "I'll cut off your tongue right now unless you – oomph!"

Usopp's tongue shook abruptly, taking the air out of her and leaving her so dazed that she couldn't scream. There were rollercoasters that were a more relaxing ride than Usopp.

When they finally stopped, it was at the edge of a lake covered in fog. There was a sound of Vivi finally throwing up over the side, while Chopper was whimpering slightly. Usopp had to squint to see the outline of the Going Merry in the middle of the lake.

Gingerly, Usopp extended a toe into the water, feeling the numbness spread over his foot. He scowled slightly. "I can't swim anymore…" He muttered with a flash of discomfort.

"Put us down already…" Vivi begged weakly. "We'll find a boat."

Usopp's eyes narrowed, feeling a surge of rare confidence flush through him. _I'm not a weakling anymore…_

"No, I've got this…" Usopp muttered, bracing himself for another jump. His hind legs tensed like springs. "Hold on tightly!"

Nami squirmed madly. "No, Usopp don't do it," she begged. "There are too many Devil fruit users here, we can't risk falling into the wa–"

The scream burst from her lips as suddenly they shot upwards like a rocket. Usopp was laughing madly as they blurred through the air, louder even than the screams of his three passengers. A second later they were dropping downwards, crashing into the deck of the Going Merry with enough force to crack the planks of wood.

Usopp never stopped laughing. The coast was hardly visible in the distance. "Did you see that?" Usopp shouted excitedly, hopping up and down while the others staggered off him. "I'm so awesome! I can jump and spit and my tongue just – Ah! This is brillia…"

His voice trailed off awkwardly as they all turned to stare at the prow of the ship, where a bloody, slender figure rested on a scorched ground. Conis stared at the pirates with shock, struggling to move through all her injuries. There were cuts across all her body as if she had been through a shredder. Her pink dress was in tatters and stained red.

"I protected your ship…" Conis muttered weakly, staring between each member of the group slowly. There were tears swelling in her eyes.

Nobody moved or said a word. Conis gulped, wincing as she tried to stagger upwards. The tears were pouring down her cheeks as stared at them with gut-wrenching guilt. "I'm really sorr–!"

Conis never even had time to finish before suddenly Vivi was on her, wrapping her arms around the angel in a tight hug. A second later Nami was with her, hugging Conis compassionately. All three of the girls were sobbing. Chopper was bawling madly as he leapt in, hugging Conis tightly.

"Don't apologise," Vivi muttered through sobs. Conis stared at them with wide, tearful eyes. "You never have to apologise to us."

Conis gulped in breathless silence. It was Nami who was the first one to pull away. The navigator took a deep breath. "Chopper," she ordered gently, wiping her nose. "Go get your supplies. We've got injuries. Lots of injuries…"

The doctor nodded before scrambling away. Usopp gently placed Carue on the ground, while Nami and Vivi helped Conis to her feet, despite her their own injuries.

"You've lost a lot of blood," Vivi muttered compassionately, gently steering Conis into the ship. "Go see Chopper, it'll be alright."

Just before she disappeared into the meeting room, Nami paused to stare at Usopp. "I'm going to kill you for that little stunt later," Nami promised. Usopp gulped, shifting uncomfortably. Nami hesitated, before conceding unwillingly, "…but thank you for getting us back to the Merry quickly."

Usopp grinned brightly. Suddenly, he was left alone out on the deck, staring at the ship. The Going Merry had taken a beaten. He hopped upwards, examining the scorched prow, the broken wood and the blood-stained floors. Usopp sighed, gently stroking the mast.

"It's alright, Merry," Usopp muttered quietly. The ship seemed to almost shudder in relief. "I'll fix you up…"

Chopper moved in blur, stitching up cuts, disinfecting wounds and bandaging injuries. The normally frantic doctor was completely calm and professional as he patched up his four patients. Usopp spent the time unfurling the sails and readying the Going Merry to sail.

It was nearly half an hour before Vivi staggered out on to the deck again, clutching her fresh bandage tightly. Nami's and Conis' injuries were much more fresh and serious, while Carue had been bandaged and heavily sedated.

Vivi sighed as she stared at Usopp, still in his toad form, as he climbed up the mast and unfurled the sails.

"Hey!" Vivi called. "Why don't you come inside?"

Usopp scratched his head. "I can't fit through the door anymore," he admitted sheepishly.

There was a pause, before Vivi giggled slightly. "Why don't you turn back into a human then?"

"I've been trying!" Usopp protested. "I… I don't know how…"

"What?"

"Hey, I'm still new to this Zoan thing!"

Vivi thought about. "Have you… I don't know… tried thinking about being human?"

Usopp dropped the deck, still walking slowly on four legs. "I'm pretty sure it's not that easy."

"Well, get Chopper to show you how," Vivi offered. An idea occurred to her. "Maybe you could even use Rumble balls now, too?"

Usopp grinned, but there was a flicker of uncertainty there too. Vivi still remembered how scared she had been trying to use her powers. One bite of a fruit and your life was changed forever.

"You'll get used to it," Vivi promised gently, smiling brightly. "And not being able to swim isn't so bad. I mean, I was terrified at first too, and now I can do stuff like _this_."

In a flash, Vivi's body dematerialised into sand as she transformed into a cloud, disappearing through the gaps in the wood. Usopp's mouth dropped in awe.

"Whoa!" Usopp shouted excitedly. He glanced around, before closing his eyes and trying to concentrate. "Um… _Human point_!" He should, but his toad body never shifted. "Long nose point! Sniper point! Grr… Cowardly point!"

It was a while before they were ready to sail out. Conis limped out on the deck, covered in bandages, while she wrapped a long sash around her like a shawl. The sash had ended up caught on the side of the ship, and there were eight Axe Dials embedded in the sash, while she clutched a ninth tightly.

Nami wore a long white t-shirt, with the cloud sword draped across her back and the Clima-Tact on her belt, along with half a dozen Dials from Pagaya's selection. Usopp paused, still trapped in toad form, before picking out some Dials for himself.

"Ready?" Usopp muttered, dropping the sails down and raising the anchor.

Nami nodded, standing at the rudder. "Let's go," she ordered. "We've got to find the others. Zoro. Robin. Luffy."

Vivi frowned. The Going Merry was sailing in the light breeze, and before lurching as it entered the Milky Road. "Wait a second…" Vivi muttered with concern. "What about Sanji?"

"Crap," Nami cursed, thinking back to the chef that she'd left behind. "I forgot all about him. He must be shattered after finding off all those marines. Come on, let's go pick him up."

They found Sanji casually strolling towards the lake, alongside the Milky Road. He was bare-chested and barefooted, while smoking a cigarette with a small smirk. His hair was a mess. As the ship approached, the chef coolly climbed on board.

"Sanji!" Nami shouted in relief. There weren't any marines in sight. "You did it! You held the marines back."

"Oh, I held the marines back alright," Sanji replied smugly, walking through the group with a self-satisfied smirk. "I held the marines back for _two and a half hours_."

They were all quiet as he walked towards the bathroom and shut the door behind him, before slowly turning to stare at each other with confusion.

* * *

There was a tense silence as the six men stared at each other cautiously. Only Marcus and Enel seemed completely at ease, while slowly the tension started to grow.

"You…" Luffy muttered darkly, clenching his fists as he stared at Marcus.

"Straw hat!" Marcus waved cheerfully, seemingly unconcerned about his scorched skin and clothes and the smoke drifting from his body. With his bright grin, there was something distinctly inhuman about the man. "Wait… you're not 'Straw Hat' Luffy anymore, are you? What should I call you then? Anyways it doesn't matter. I'm just _really_ glad that you're still alive."

Marcus' grin widened even further as he looked at Luffy. "Because I've been really looking forward to killing you myself," Marcus muttered, his eyes glinting with bloodlust.

Luffy didn't respond as the memories of Mock Town flashed before his eyes. His heart was already racing as his body trembled in anticipation.

"Dan Marcus…" Smoker growled, staring at the Devil fruit hunter. "You have no business interfering with Marine matters. Straw Hat is _mine_."

Luffy glanced at the captain distrustfully. Smoker had his hand on his revolver tightly. Marcus just laughed. "Oh, get over yourself, Smokey," Marcus mocked. "The Marines don't exist up here. But don't worry; _you're _on my list too. I've wanted to kill you for a long time."

Smoker's eyes narrowed. Enel was looking at them with quiet amusement. Standing between Marcus and Gan Fall, Wiper folded his arms and grunted. "You are all intruding on _my_ battle," the raider growled. "This is between me and Enel. Get the fuck out of here before I kill you too."

Enel held up his hands in mock fear, still sitting cross-legged on the hovering ball of cloud. "Oh, how _frightening_," the god muttered sarcastically, holding his golden staff tightly.

A vein in Wiper's forehead bulged with rage. His hands were white around the God-Slayer. "Answer me this before I end you," Wiper snarled. "_Where is the_ _golden bell_?!"

Enel smirked. "That bell? You mean what's _left_ of it?" He said dismissively. Wiper looked ready to explode. "I left the pieces just up the beanstalk on my ship. You're welcome to it if you can get by me."

The raider's eyes were murderous. Luffy looked between Wiper and Enel cautiously. "So you're the _god_ then?" Luffy muttered, staring at Enel. "It looks like I need to beat you up too. The rest of you I don't care about."

"You're not going anyway," Smoker growled. He had six bullets in his gun, and there were five other fighters. It looked like he'd have one spare. "As far I'm concerned, everyone here is under arrest."

"Enough!" Gan Fall snapped, speaking up for the first time. The old man was wearing armour that rattled as he moved, and a heavy backpack almost as big as he was. He stared daggers at Enel, pointing his lance towards the man. "_Enel_ is the threat here. Whatever issues you have with each other must be put inside for the time being. We must take down Enel first."

Wiper scoffed angrily. "You wish, _ex-God_," Wiper growled venomously. "You're just as bad as he is, and you're going down just as hard."

Gan Fall's frown deepened but he didn't respond. The old man was staring between the fighters, analysing them critically. His eyes lingered on Luffy for a while, his expression unreadable. The tension kicked up another notch.

A short bark of laughter shot from Marcus' throat. "Well, this is interesting!" The Devil fruit hunter giggled. "Looks like everyone hates everyone! Allow me to tell you order in which you're going to die! Firstly, I'll kill the old man, cause he's boring." Marcus cast a dismissive gaze towards Gan Fall. "And then I'll slaughter the angry dude over here." He pointed at Wiper, who just scowled. "And then it's Smokey – that shouldn't really take long." Smoker cast Marcus a dark glare. "After that then I suppose it's formerly-Straw Hat. I want to take my time with _you_, so I guess I'll just rip your legs off so I can finish you later." He smiled brightly at Luffy, who didn't respond. "And finally, I'll take care of the god bastard here; which might take a while, but it's going to be fun."

Marcus ripped off the scorched remains of his shirt. Wiper suddenly paused, glaring at an object on Marcus' belt. He recognised it instantly.

"That Burn Sword…" Wiper demanded quietly. "Where did _you_ get it?"

Marcus looked down at the Dial weapon with mild confusion. He had completely forgotten about the weapon he taken from the raider who attacked them in the White Sea. "I don't know," Marcus frowned as he struggled to recall. "Wait… oh yeah… there was that guy before…"

"Kamakiri," Wiper growled, a cold fury rising as he stared at Marcus. He could recognise his best friend's prize weapon anywhere. "Was his name Kamakiri?!"

Marcus shrugged dismissively. "How am I meant to remember?" He replied, turning to face Wiper. "Was he a friend of yours or something?"

"_Yes_," Wiper's voice was trembling with rage. The images of his childhood companion flashed before his eyes. "A _close_ friend."

"Oh," Marcus said simply, before a predatory smile grew on his face. "Your friend died a _coward_. I _tortured_ him and then _murdered_ him myself."

There was a short pause. In an instant, the tension exploded into a fiery rage. Wiper screamed an animalistic howl, heaving his bazooka around to Marcus. "_Then you die first!_" Wiper roared in berserk rage, pulling the trigger.

The God-Slayer exploded in a shockwave that took Marcus off his feet, sending the man flying into the trees. Wiper was already charging after him.

Luffy jumped after Marcus, but in an instant there was a cloud of smoke in his path. Luffy could barely gasp as suddenly a hand grabbed his throat and slammed him to the ground.

"I told you…" Smoker growled, the smoke whipping around into a powerful lash. "_You're mine!_"

The blow slammed Luffy into a tree trunk, causing the tree to collapse in a hail of splinters. Luffy was on his feet in a second, meeting the smoke cloud with an onslaught of punches.

Enel was laughing. Gan Fall glared darkly. "Enel!" The old man ordered, but nobody seemed to pay him much attention. "Focus on Enel!"

"You never change, old man," Enel said derisively. "Still the same useless leader you've always been. What have you ever actually accomplished? It's almost pitiful; the pathetic, hopeless life you've led."

Gan Fall took a deep breath, dropping into a fighting stance as he face Enel alone. "My life is not over yet!" He growled, raising his lance.

Enel smirked. "It might as well be," he said mockingly. "You know, I've felt your presence dart around the island. You've been rescuing your former soldiers all morning. Does it make you _proud_ to now that all of your comrades are safe and sound out of my reach?"

The old man never responded. There's as an edge to Enel's voice. "Well, they're _not_," he said with a smile. "Right now, all of your old Enforcers are huddled together on the west beach." Enel slowly raised his arm. The air flashed. Gan Fall's eyes bulged. "I can feel them now."

"Don't you dare!" The man roared, but the lightning was already shooting through the sky. From the west coast, there was a flash of light followed by a huge roll of thunder echoing across Upper Yard.

"And now they are all dead," Enel said arrogantly. "Like stepping on ants. How does it feel to know your life's work has just been _obliterated_ with ease?"

For half a second, Gan Fall looked like a crippled old man, tears swelling in his wide eyes. Then his brow furrowed as he glared at Enel with pure rage.

"DAMN YOU!" Gan Fall roared, charging forward with his lance in hand. Enel was laughing furiously, sparks flying through air as Gan Fall's lance stabbed through his body.

A shot of lightning cracked through the air like a huge whip, ringing like a bell while the forest erupted into chaos.

* * *

Smoker's blows were relentless. Luffy was sent crashing across the ground while an onslaught of fists materialised from the smoke. Around him, everything was pandemonium. The tree were alight while the lightning arced everywhere, causing the air to crackle with power.

Through the corner of his eye, Luffy glimpsed Marcus absorb a blast from Wiper, before sending the raider flying with a shimmering punch. Then, Smoker was on him and Luffy clenched while the smoke wrapped around him and slammed his body around like a ragdoll.

Luffy recovered instantly, lashing out with a furious salvo of punches that hit nothing but smoke. His heart was pounding madly while Smoker's fist collided with his jaw.

"Give it up now," Smoker growled, kicking Luffy to the ground. "This is the end."

He struck out with a kick that passed useless through Smoker's chest. Luffy's teeth clenched as he threw blow after a blow of lightning fast attacks that hit nothing but smoke.

"You can't touch me!" Smoker shouted, knocking Luffy to the ground angrily.

_I've got to hit him_, Luffy thought to himself, already staggering upwards, _I've got to learn how to hit him…_

Luffy charged, phasing straight through Smoker's incorporeal body. Already, Luffy was panting. _I need to learn how to him…!_

He blurred with speed, his hands and feet launching themselves so quickly that not even Smoker could keep track. Not one of them collided with anything but air. The smoke billowed around him furiously; lashing out with blows so powerful they split the ground.

Luffy took every attack like a monster. He never paused even as the impacts rattled his bones.

_I need that power again_, Luffy thought with gritted teeth. _I need to use Haki_…

He could feel the strength inside him. He knew it was there he just couldn't pull it out. His heart pounded like a drum and the adrenaline roared through his body like fire. Luffy never understood what the strength was or where it came from, but he could feel it like a blind man groping around in the darkness.

He just hadn't unlocked it yet, not fully. The lock was crumbling, but still strong.

Luffy glared as he focused on Smoker. Whatever determination he had left, he needed to use it all now. He couldn't afford to lose here.

A wordless scream burst from his throat as he charged. His fist blurred as it cracked through stone, throwing up dust everywhere as Luffy lashed out with blow after blow.

Smoker growled, rematerializing as he pulled his revolver out. "I'm sorry, straw hat," the captain muttered quietly, his eyes dark. There was no time for hesitation or doubt. "But I can't afford to let you live anymore."

Luffy glared, panting heavily. "That's strange…" He murmured under his breath. The images of his friends flashed through his mind. Inside, he felt the lock break a little bit more. "Because I can't afford to die anymore…"

* * *

"You're friend squealed like pig when I cut him open!" Marcus laughed gleefully, while Wiper flashed between the trees, firing wave after wave of explosions towards him. "He begged like a child as I broke his bones, one by one."

"SHUT UP!" Wiper roared, launching the God-Slayer in a fiery blast. The flames covered everywhere, but a second later Marcus just charged out of the inferno. Wiper swung his bazooka like a club, but it collided against an invisible shield and ended up jarring his shoulder painfully.

In an instant, Marcus' hand grabbed Wiper's arm. There was a crack of bone snapping. The raider screamed in pain.

"And he told me all about you too," Marcus said happily, tightening his grip slightly. "Did you know that your 'friend' sold out the entire tribe just to save his own life?"

"Shut up!" Wiper screamed, kicked upwards and slamming his foot into Marcus' chest. His ankle cracked, but he never even felt the pain.

"He told me absolutely everything about your tribe," Marcus laughed, wrapping his hand around Wiper's throat. "And I didn't even ask any questions!"

Wiper couldn't speak as Marcus' hand tightened over his windpipe. It felt like his skin was being torn to pieces. Marcus' gaze was demonic.

"You're not so tough now, are you?" Marcus mocked.

Wiper glared at him with berserk rage. "_How would you know_?" He gasped, just before launching himself into Marcus. The shimmering air cut his skin, yet Wiper just roared as he slammed Marcus to the ground. He couldn't feel pain anymore; there was far too much rage.

One arm was broken and the other was holding his bazooka, so Wiper used his teeth as he went for Marcus' throat. He felt the blood swell up in his mouth while his teeth bit straight through flesh. Marcus howled in laughter as he felt the pain flush through him.

Marcus' fist sent Wiper flying off him, and Marcus staggered upwards, clutching at the bite wound on his neck. His gaze was hungry while Wiper stumbled to his feet.

"Come on," Marcus growled ravenously. "Give me more. Make me feel it. Make it _fun_."

"You want fun?" Wiper spat, heaving the God-Slayer on his shoulder as he charged. "_I'll give you fun!_"

Marcus' fist nearly broke his neck, yet Wiper pushed on, slamming the nozzle of the God-Slayer into his chest. The shimmering caused the metal to crack and break, yet Wiper didn't care, pulling the trigger.

"_Jet Blast_!" Wiper roared, just as the gush of air burst from the nozzle. The force crashed into Marcus' chest, leaving an indention on his stomach as the momentum blasted him off the ground and into the distance.

Wiper growled as he saw the mad man disappear as a speck over the trees, but there was no time to confirm the kill. His ankle was broken and his arm was shattered. His earlier wounds were catching up to him and Wiper could feel his concentration fading and his rage bleeding away. His body was falling to pieces.

And, worst of all, the God-Slayer was breaking. The nozzle was cracked while the Dials were overheating. There was too much power, and it was too unstable. He had pushed the weapon too hard and the metal was failing. He had maybe one more blast before it exploded into a cloud of smoke and debris.

Wiper didn't expect to survive the next blast. Still, his teeth were clenched as he limped away, loading the Seastone cannonball into the bazooka. _So long as Enel doesn't survive it either, then I don't care_, he thought viciously.

The memories of sitting inside the chief's tent, listening to all those stories about his history flooded him. There were tears in his eyes as he limped through the clearing, hoisting the God-Slayer upwards.

_Calgara, this is how I honour your memory_, he thought with deep breaths, _by blasting the false god into oblivion!_

He emerged just in time to see Enel knock Gan Fall into the ground. The old man put up a good fight with impressive stamina, but all it took were three bolts of electricity and Gan Fall was scorching in armouring. Enel looked mildly bored as he slammed his golden staff into the old man, sending his body crashing through the trees. Gan Fall was clutching his backpack tightly even as he collapsed.

Slowly Enel turned to look at Wiper, panting heavily and struggling to stay conscious. Enel smirked arrogantly.

"So…" The god said lazily. "You're my next challenger then?"

"No," Wiper snarled. "I'm the man who's going to kill you."

"God cannot die," Enel replied, stressing every word as if talking to a child.

Around them, the earth was scorched by lightning and the trees were alight, covering the clearing in flickering flames. Wiper took a deep breath to steady his hand. "Look around you!" He shouted. "What do you see?"

Enel shrugged dismissively. "Nothing important."

Wiper's voice was murderously quiet. "I see _earth_," he whispered. "I see Shandora. I see something precious that you are defiling with you every step!"

His voice grew into an angry bellow. "I see _my_ homeland!"

Enel was laughing. Wiper couldn't hear it over the sound of his heart pounding in his chest. His finger was on the trigger, while his gaze turned blood red. "You are standing on my property!" Wiper snarled. "_Get off!_"

He pulled the trigger. The God-Slayer erupted like a volcano, spilling out clouds of blue shrapnel into the air while the shockwave broke the speed of sound. Somehow, Wiper voice was louder than it all, echoing through the air as he bellowed louder than ever.

"_GOD BLAST_!"

The whole island rumbled, while a mushroom cloud of dirt rose into the sky.

* * *

The ground tremored, causing Robin to straighten as she glared at the explosion erupting from the trees with concern. She could feel the air blast even from here. Robin paused from making notes of the ruins, looking around the forest.

"Luffy…" She muttered under her breath, feeling her stomach tighten.

Quickly, she started walking in the direction of the explosion. She didn't get far before she heard a whimper from the bushes. Robin walked over cautiously, to see a young girl with dark hair weeping into her hands.

"…Wiper..." The girl sniffed, wiping away tears with the back of her hand. At once, Robin's gaze softened.

"Excuse me?" Robin asked gently. The girl jumped. "Are you alright?"

She stared at Robin with wide eyes. "No," she muttered, trembling with dread. "The voices… they're screaming at me…"

Robin frowned. The girl looked terrified. "What's your name?"

"Aisa,"She replied, wiping her face and staring at Robin. "Are you Robin?" She asked after a second. "Luffy told me to find you."

"Luffy?" Robin sat down closer. "Do you know where he is?"

Aisa nodded. "Could you take me to him?" Robin asked carefully.

She shook her head quickly. "No," Aisa muttered quietly. "You don't want to be anywhere near _him_."

* * *

Nami stood at the prow of the ship, watching the beanstalk grow into view. It was huge, and towered over everything, but her attention was focused completely at the base of the beanstalk, where lightning flashed over the treetops. You didn't have to be a navigator to realise how unnatural that weather was.

They were on the Milky Road, sailing west towards the beanstalk. Sanji was at the helm, while toad-Usopp was in the crow's nest, peering into the distance. "There's a battle happening up ahead!" Usopp shouted, struggling to make out the figures.

"Any sign of Luffy?" Vivi asked with concern.

Usopp shook his head, unable to make out any figures between the smoke and lightning. Sanji snorted. "Things are exploding and it sounds like a warzone," the chef muttered. "That's about the biggest sign of Luffy that anyone could expect."

Nami paused. "Sanji?"

Instantly, the chef was all charm. "Yes, my beautiful Nami?"

She didn't even turn around. "Shut up."

"Right away!"

In the meeting room, Chopper was busy treating Zoro. The doctor had smelt the swordsman's blood and Usopp had rushed to fetch him, only to find Zoro unconscious with deep wounds and metal fragments sticking out of him. Chopper had squealed when Zoro had been brought aboard, only to hurry and bandage the swordsman head to toe. A few makeshift blood transplants and a lot of stitching later, and Chopper was still working to stabilise Zoro.

"What are we going to do?" Vivi asked quietly, standing next to Nami, biting her lip.

The navigator paused. "We've got to help Luffy," she decided firmly. "We'll sail in close as we can get, grab Luffy, find Robin, and get out of here."

Vivi nodded. Sitting on the ledge, Conis was staring at the strikes of lightning with wide, fearful eyes. Her face was pale. She recognised the lightning. Angel Island lived in fear of it. "This is God's power…" Conis muttered quietly. "We shouldn't be here. We've got to run…"

Sanji looked at the girl with concern, while Nami and Vivi edged closer to the side, staring at the smoke rising from the forest. There was a good wind behind them and the Milky Road had a strong current; they were approaching the beanstalk quickly.

A sudden boom erupted from the forest. Nami had her sword in hand instantly, while Sanji leapt over the balcony, just as a figure burst out of the foliage and flew across the air towards them. No one even had time to scream as suddenly a man crashed straight into the deck of the Going Merry, cracking the wood as he landed in a shower of splinters.

"That bastard…" A wheezy voice growled, while the man clutched his stomach, staggering upwards.

It took a few seconds for the dust to settle, while all eyes were on the man lying in the middle of the deck.

"You!" Vivi gasped with shock, stepping backwards.

Marcus grinned, glancing around the ship with no fear. His eyes gleamed with pure insanity. "Well, hello there beautiful!"

Behind them, the air exploded into a huge mushroom cloud.

* * *

The recoil jammed a large fragment of burning metal into Wiper's shoulder, and he screamed in pain as the he dropped to his knees. The explosion burst the nozzle of the God-Slayer, vaporising the triggering mechanism, and transformed the bazooka into a red hot chunk of metal.

Still, the air around them sparkled almost, a stark contrast to the ground that had been scorched black. Seastone dust covered everything, a very fine powder covering the air. There wasn't much of it, but it was enough to make a Logia vulnerable. The explosion took care of the rest.

Wiper forced a smirk, feeling his mouth swell up with blood. "I got you…" he coughed, glaring into the dust cloud, before dropping to ground.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps. Wiper's blood turned cold.

"Well…" Enel muttered in annoyance. "That was unpleasant…"

_No_, Wiper thought desperately, _that's impossible_…

Enel was standing above him, yet the man's skin was covered in shiny gold with Seastone fragments piercing the metal. He had his arms folded as he glared at Wiper darkly. Slowly, the golden skin cracked and fell to the ground, revealing Enel looking completely unharmed.

_His staff_, Wiper realised with shock. _He must have moulded his golden staff into armour. So long as the Seastone didn't touch him, then the explosion wouldn't have had any effect._

Enel chuckled. "That is an impressive weapon," he muttered, glancing around at the blackened earth. The Seastone dust covering everything was enough to make his skin tingle. "But I have already learnt today not to give my opponents a free attack. A valiant effort, nonetheless."

Wiper tried to curse. He tried to scream. He tried to fight. He couldn't even move as Enel casually strolled by him. "And now…" Enel muttered, pointing his finger at Wiper. "…Now, you die for that effort."

The bolt of lightning struck Wiper with blinding intensity. The raider couldn't even scream as his whole body thrashed. Enel just walked away without a second glance.

* * *

Luffy growled as he tackled Smoker again, hitting nothing but air. The fight was becoming nasty, but Luffy refused to give any ground even under Smoker's relentless assault. The pirate just kept on punching, desperate to land a blow. Not even the huge explosion could deter the battle.

Luffy was panting heavily, sweat dripping from his body. Smoker just looked annoyed. He had his revolver drawn, but Luffy hadn't given him a shot.

"There's only one way this can end," Smoker said finally. "I will kill you and bring your head back to the ocean with me. There's too much at stake here."

"When did you become so bloodthirsty?" Luffy panted, glaring at Smoker as he launched a rapid salvo of kicks.

"Since Tashigi," Smoker replied coldly, trying to level the revolver. Luffy charged through him, not giving him a chance to shoot.

Luffy frowned. "What about Tashigi?"

"You don't know?" Smoker grunted. Luffy didn't respond, too busy trying to dodge Smoker's punches. "No, why would you? What would a pirate care about _consequences_?"

The captain landed a blow, knocking Luffy into the ground. He tried to aim the revolver, but Luffy was already up and moving. He had heard that the lieutenant was responsible for saving his crew's lives. "What's Tashigi got to do about his?"

"Tashigi helped you in Alabasta. Did you really think that would come without cost?" Smoker growled. "She's being charged with treason, and the only thing that could save her is your head. Do not underestimate my resolve here, Straw Hat. I will kill you to save the life of my friend."

Luffy faltered for half a second, before his expressed became firm. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, throwing a spinning punch straight through the smoke cloud. "But I'm fighting for my friends too."

There was no talking after that. They both just kept on trading blows, each trying to wear the other down. Luffy had the endurance of juggernaut while Smoker just couldn't be hurt. Luffy danced through the cloud of smoke, while Smoker kept trying to get his shot with the revolver. If he missed a step, he'd be dead.

Luffy's heart was beating so fast that time seemed to slow down, but then he heard a sound that cut through everything else. The sound of screaming echoed through the forest.

"Vivi…!" Luffy gasped, recognising the voice instantly. In an instant, his priorities shifted. She was nearby, and she needed help.

Luffy hesitated, just long enough for Smoker to wrap a coil of smoke around him and slam him up against a tree.

"Got you!" Smoker growled. There was no satisfaction in his eyes as he aimed the revolver at Luffy's head and pulled the trigger.

Time stopped. Luffy remembered seeing the smoke burst from the barrel and the bullet fly towards him. The sound of his friend's screaming resonated through his head. He could feel the blood rushing through his body, and, for a millisecond, he thought he was going to die.

And then, deep inside him, there was a sudden feeling like a lock clicking open.

The bullet flew passed him so close he felt the air brush against his cheek. At that range, he shouldn't have been physically capable of dodging it, but somehow Luffy was moving even before Smoker pulled the trigger.

A moment of breathless silence flew over the pair. Smoker glared at him with shock, before firing the revolver again. And again. And again. And again. Luffy's body moved on autopilot, easily weaving through the bullets on pure instinct. They came so close he could feel them brush by, but at the same time there was a weird certainty that they would never hit.

Smoker never even had time to react as Luffy closed the distance between them and snatched the revolver out of his hands, twisting it around to face Smoker. Six shots, one more bullet left. For a brief moment, Luffy pointed the weapon at Smoker's head, before lowering it and shooting the captain in the leg instead.

It was over in two seconds, max. Luffy blinked and then time resumed its normal speed. Smoker was on the ground, clutching his leg while the Seastone bullet left him nearly paralysed. Luffy's foot collided with the captain's face, and then he collapsed to the ground.

Luffy stared at his hands in shock, and dropping the empty revolver onto the ground. "How did I do that…?" He muttered to himself, still reeling with the surreal experience. There had been no thought or even reaction involved. It has like he just instantly knew what to do.

Vivi's scream kicked him out of his shock quickly. She was in danger, and Luffy started sprinting towards her quickly. Somehow, he unconsciously knew where she was.

The Milky Road ran alongside the trees. Luffy glimpsed the Going Merry sailing on top, while a red aura shimmered on the deck. Luffy's legs pounded as he jumped to a nearby tree branch and leapt upwards towards the ship.

Everything flew by him in a flash. He saw Marcus on the deck, sending Sanji flying backwards with backhanded blow. Vivi was sending wave after wave of sand at Marcus, only for the attacks to be absorbed uselessly by the red shimmering. Nami was pulling Conis out of the way of the splintering floorboards.

Luffy was there in a blur, before anybody could react. His face twisted in pure anger as he slammed his fist straight towards Marcus with unstoppable momentum. _This bastard dared to hurt my friends_, Luffy thought viciously, just as his knuckles made contact. His wrist stung, but it was worth it.

The Devil fruit hunter shot backwards, flying out of the ship at the force of the blow. Luffy took a deep breath, looking around at his friends to make sure they were safe.

Nami and Vivi stared in amazement as Luffy suddenly appeared on the deck. Sanji sighed in relief, nursing his injured ribs, while Conis looked around confused.

"Luffy!" A giant toad wearing overalls shouted excitedly from above. _Nope, I can think about that later_, Luffy decided, glaring towards Marcus.

"Get the ship out of here and make sure everyone is safe," Luffy said firmly. "I need to handle this guy."

Sanji was the one that reacted first, lowering the sails fully as the Going Merry lurched forward. Luffy was already jumping off the ship, leaving them all bewildered as he chased after Marcus. _I will not let him hurt anyone_, Luffy promised firmly, shooting across the forest.

"Ex-Straw Hat!" Marcus laughed, already pulling himself to his feet. "Oh, is it your turn already–"

He never even had time to finish as Luffy's punch cut him off. The blow caused his fist to ache, but Luffy didn't care. He remembered Marcus' abilities well; you couldn't hurt him without doing damage to yourself as well. Any fight with the Devil fruit hunter was a competition to see who could take the largest beating. That was a challenge that Luffy had no intention of losing.

"You made my friends scream," Luffy muttered with cold rage. "_Big_ mistake."

Marcus was giggling like a little girl as he felt the bruise forming on his cheek. The Devil fruit hunter was actually quite badly _injured_ by now. He loved it.

"I was really looking forward to this," Marcus grinned. "It was so much fun beating you up the last time. You have no idea how happy I am that I get to finish the job now."

Luffy glared angrily. This time was different. It had to be. Slowly, there were footsteps from the forest, and a light chuckling. Enel emerged into the stand-off, looking between Luffy and Marcus curiously.

"Well then," Enel chuckled, sounding mildly interested. "It looks like there's three left."

Luffy looked between them. He was facing off against two immensely powerful psychopaths, and he didn't feel even slightly out of place. His heart was pounding, the adrenaline was flowing and his muscles were screaming. He felt like a monster.

"Let's get this over with," Luffy muttered quietly.

"Agreed," Enel said pleasantly, raising both hands and launching a bolt of lightning at both of them. Marcus took the blow with his shield of shimmering air, while Luffy barely had time to dodge behind a large tree. There was a cracking as the tree collapsed to the ground.

At once, the battle exploded. Marcus charged furiously at Enel, glowing so brightly that grass caught alight. Enel disappeared into a blur of electricity, while Luffy slammed into Marcus from behind, kicking the man into the ground. Enel reappeared with another arc of lightning cracking through the air, just as Luffy hid behind Marcus and let the Devil fruit hunter absorb the blast. Marcus was laughing like a maniac as he felt the pain.

Marcus slammed down at Luffy, but the pirate was already dodging and heaving up the fallen tree with a groan of effort, swinging the huge log around like a bat. Marcus could absorb the force, but there was nothing he could do about the momentum as the impact took him off his feet. Enel barely had time to dodge before the Devil fruit hunter was batted towards him like a baseball ball.

Enel recovered instantly, launching an arc of lightning at Luffy that the pirate barely managed to dodge, yet the lightning still knocked him to the ground. Marcus was on Enel in a second, roaring as he tried to get a grip, but Enel was always one step ahead. Luffy staggered to his feet, just as Marcus charged towards like a bull.

The force sent him crashing into a nearby ruin, breaking through the stone. It took Luffy a while to regain his bearings, as he slowly realised that the earth was rumbling. Luffy recognised the rumble.

Marcus was instantly on him, clutching down Luffy's right leg with shimmering hands. "Do you remember when I said I would rip your legs off?" Marcus said gleefully, carefully tightening his grip.

The pain burst through Luffy's leg, but he forced himself to remain focused. The ground was still rumbling, and above them a huge shape loomed into a view. Luffy teeth clenched as he pulled himself up, even while Marcus was still holding onto his right leg.

"Get out of here!" Luffy shouted, spinning his body around in a roundhouse kick. The kick caught Marcus by surprise as he flew backwards, losing his grip on Luffy leg. Luffy growled and was already taking the offensive, leaping into the air and slamming his fist into Marcus' stomach with enough force that he went flying into the air.

And straight into the gaping mouth of the giant python.

Marcus couldn't even scream as he was swallowed whole. The Master of the Sky twisted around, while Luffy limped to his feet. His whole body was in agony, but feeding Marcus to a giant snake was one of the most satisfying things he'd done in years.

Enel was suddenly in front of him, laughing as the python lunged towards him.

"Foolish beast…" Enel muttered irritably, blue lightning arcing from his fingers. The air crackled and the python hissed madly, before crashed to the ground in a smouldering pile. As the snake landed, the whole ground trembled.

Luffy was panting heavily as he pulled himself up to face Enel. Around them, it could hardly be called a forest anymore. The trees were smouldering cinders while the ground was scorched. A large chunk of the forest had taken a hit today, Luffy realised.

The pirate and the god stared at each other for a few seconds. Luffy was struggling for breath, while Enel seemed just about completely unharmed.

"Looks like it's just you and me…" Luffy gasped finally, pulling himself up.

Enel shook his head. "No," he muttered dismissively, raising his hand. "It was only ever just _me_."

The lightning cracked through the air. Luffy tried to dodge but the arc of light changed direction and chased him down. He didn't scream as he felt the electricity burn through him, but his whole body shuddered. Somehow, he managed to stay standing while every nerve in his body screamed in agony.

"Still standing?" Enel said with mild interest, pointing his fingers again. "You're better than I thought."

The blast of lightning was so powerful that the crack of thunder could be heard even on the White Sea. The electricity took the shape of a dragon as it charged towards Luffy, cutting through his body with thousands of volts. This time, Luffy couldn't even dodge.

A few seconds later, Luffy's smoking body dropped to ground limply. Enel simply scoffed and walked away.

"So then…" The god mused, rubbing his chin. "Who's next?"

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Well, Luffy is dead. Story is over. The end. **

**...Wait, there's more chapters? Huh, that's weird...**

**Next chapter: Big showdown, epic climax, and giant fight. Also, _somebody_ eats a Devil fruit...**

**Next week (might be a bit late): 'Defying God'...**


	19. Chapter 19: Defying God

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I am now depressed as the reality that I do not own One Piece is settling in.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**It hit the fan.**_

* * *

**Chapter 19: Defying God**

* * *

It is hard to describe the effect a bolt of lightning has on a human body.

Firstly, there is the sound. The noise cannot be under exaggerated. Lightning heats the air to a few thousand degrees in a millisecond, causing an extreme pressure change that isn't too different from a bomb exploding. Deafness is instantaneous. The pressure wave is like a jackhammer straight to the brain. It doesn't feel like electricity; it feels more like a backhanded swipe from God himself.

After that, it's either instant paralysis or death. The nervous system is generally the most vulnerable part of the body. The nerve endings are fried in an instant. Numbness is guaranteed; a complete insensitivity to everything, as if your whole body has just been dipped into powerful anaesthesia. Intense seizures are also common as the nerve damage really takes effect.

So long as the lightning doesn't pass through the brain, then death isn't usually instantaneous. Far more commonly, death comes some time later, while the victim lies paralysed, unable to move or scream or feel anything, thrashing involuntarily while their body slowly fails to recover from the blast.

The intense heat and burning is generally the least of the victim's worries. Although lightning is scorching hot, most victims don't even feel the heat. The burns can be severe, but are not normally deadly.

Overall, the human body is a surprisingly good conductor for lightning. At that voltage level, the flesh breaks down almost immediately, and the electricity tears through the body as if it were pure water. This effect has been known to leave a vivid lightning-shaped marking on the skin called Lichtenberg figures, as distinct and as intricate as tattoos.

Muscle damage and organ failure are lasting effects of a lightning strike. The flesh is quite literally torn apart. Few victims even remember the pain, but instead the body just tends to cut out. It can be something of a surreal experience.

Monkey D. Luffy lay on his back on the ground. Around him, the grass had been transformed into cinders, leaving nothing but black earth while the ash floated around him. Luffy was awake, but he just couldn't move. The connection to his body was severed, and he couldn't even feel pain as he stared up towards the sky with unblinking eyes.

Every breath was brief and wheezy. He could hear his heartbeat, but it felt quiet and irregular. He couldn't even think properly – shell-shocked would be an appropriate description.

Moments passed that could have been seconds or years. It was hard to tell the difference. His eyes and ears were hypersensitive, but his brain couldn't process anything. Slowly, he could hear the sound of quiet, casually footsteps walking towards him. The light faded as a shadow loomed over his face.

"Well then." A voice announced calmly. "You look like shit."

Luffy tried to focus. His mind slowly reeled back to reality as he recognised the voice. He tried to speak, but all he could do was gasp weakly. The voice would have sent tremors down his spine if he could still feel anything.

_Ace…_

His brother was standing above him, looking down with an amused smile. Ace looked exactly like he remembered; tall, lean and muscular, with a freckled face and a smug smile. He was wearing his trademark orange hat with two blue smileys, one frowning and one smiling, with a string of red beads above the rim, and two long orange side straps hanging down his chest to support a medallion of a bull's skull with orange tassels. His upper body was naked except for red beads dangling around his neck, and he wore black boots, black knee-length shorts with an orange belt, and a large red 'A' on a silver buckle.

"Little brother," Ace greeted coolly, raising his eyebrow as he dropped to the ground next to Luffy. His vertical tattoo 'ASCE', was clearly visible on his upper left bicep. "You haven't changed a bit…"

Ace sighed as he scratched his forehead, casually looking around at the blackened earth. Luffy could do nothing but stare. "So…" Ace muttered after a pause. "How you've been? Doing alright?"

_This is impossible_, Luffy realised with a flash; _Ace couldn't be here_. _I'm hallucinating_…

Luffy couldn't even speak to reply. Ace chuckled under his breath. "You've really got yourself messed up this time, little brother," Ace said conversationally. "Seriously, it's quite impressive. After all this time, I thought you would have at least learnt _something_."

He snorted. "You're exactly the same as you've always been," Ace said with a sigh. "The same wimpy little cry baby running in recklessly…"

Finally, Luffy managed to rediscover his voice box. His tongue was heavy and clumsy, and his words were stiff. "…_Shut_…_up_…" Luffy gasped weakly.

"Why should I?" Ace retorted. "You're still just getting beat up and losing. I swear, have you ever thought about trying something new?"

Luffy growled quietly, a deep throaty noise. Ace just scoffed. "Weak, little brother," he continued irritably. "What? Is this _really_ the best you can do? Are you so helpless that you need a Devil fruit power just beat the bad guys? That's _pathetic_."

The paralysed pirate looked like he was trying to move, but his body could only tremor violently. Ace slowly leant down and pointed a finger into the distance. The sails of the Going Merry were barely visible through the corner of Luffy's eye.

"Look over there," Ace said quietly, practically whispering into Luffy's ear, staring at the Going Merry. The sky was still flashing with lightning. "You know that he's going to go after you're friends next, right? Do you know that they're _all going to die_?"

Luffy's body was shivering now, but he still couldn't move. His eyes were blinking madly, staring at the ship desperately while slowly filling with tears. His body felt numb, as if it was slowly shutting down. It was like there was so much pain and damage he couldn't even feel it anymore.

"They're all going to die while you're just lying here _watching_," Ace continued coldly. "Maybe you're even going to hear their screams. And you will be helpless to stop it. They're going to die and it will all be your fault."

His breathing was wheezy and frantic. His body was sweating madly. "_Shut up_…!" Luffy snarled, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks. If anything, that just made Ace even more annoyed.

"_Come on_!" Ace bellowed loudly with anger, and Luffy could feel his breath on his face. "You know that when we last met in Alabasta I _seriously_ thought that you were going to be alright. I thought you were going to _survive_. And all that talk about '_I will get stronger_' and protecting your friends, but no, turns out we were both just deluding ourselves."

Luffy didn't respond. In the distance, he watched as a flash of lightning struck the Going Merry. Slowly, Luffy's fingers started to twitch.

"You're going to die, Luffy," Ace said, his expression flickering somewhere between disgust and irritation. "_Again_. Is this really how you want it all to end? Lying on the dirt, on your back, _helpless_?!"

Slowly, Luffy could feel his heartbeat starting to race, each beat so powerful it shook his body to the core. His breathing became stronger, more furious, while the adrenaline raced through his body. Feebly, his hands clenched into fists.

Ace just shook his head dismissively. "I'm honestly not even surprised," Ace murmured, slowly standing up. "You always were just a little brat. As soon as things don't go your way, you fall down. Still, there's one thing that I've got to ask…"

Luffy was trembling madly, willing his body to respond but it just wouldn't work. Ace's condescending words cut straight through him, vibrating around his soul. The image of Ace sceptical face, raised eyebrow and looking down on Luffy mockingly, burned into his eyeballs.

"…_Is this _really_ the most you're capable of?_"

Luffy screamed. It was a hoarse shrill cry that gradually became deeper and throatier. The tears were still pouring down his face, but his heart was racing and his body was trembling frantically. His skin felt numb, but Luffy gasped and panted, forcing his limbs to respond by sheer willpower. He could feel the power flowing through him, as he glared at Ace furiously.

"_**Shut up**_."

The words were so powerful that air surrounding him pulsed. In an instant, Luffy could suddenly feel his body again. The pain hit him like a steam train. Every nerve, every patch of skin, every bone screamed in utter agony, so intense Luffy could barely breathe. It was an incapacitating torture that nearly caused him to blackout.

Still, the pain felt good. The pain felt like he was coming back to life.

Staggering, Luffy pulled himself up off the ground. His motions were clumsy and heavy, like he was puppet being controlled by strings. His heartbeat was so loud it was deafening. He glimpsed a flash of light hit the Going Merry, followed by the mast collapsing from the bolt of lightning. The ground rumbled with thunder, and every muscle that Luffy had _roared_ in fury.

The only sound he could hear was of his breathing, slow and steady. Luffy cast a dismissive glance towards Ace, before stumbling away without looking back. Every step he took was sluggish, but gradually gaining in momentum and determination.

Ace watched him go, with an amused smirk on his face.

* * *

The lightning struck the ship with a thunderous crash. Nami squealed and ran for cover, but suddenly there was a figure standing in the middle of the deck, arms folded, and surrounded by pirates. Somehow he didn't look even remotely concerned.

"Let's see…" Enel mused, looking around the crew disinterestedly. Beneath his feet, the wooden planks were still smouldering red from the heat. Enel slowly moved his finger around and started to count. "We've got one, two, three, four, five, six, and it looks like one unconscious in the hold… hmm… nope, still too many."

Nobody moved. Chopper was trembling in fear. Conis stared at Enel with wide eyes and a pale face, sweating with panic. "God…!" She murmured, shaking with dread.

"None of you are particularly interesting, anyways," Enel said dismissively, casually raising his hand. "You could run, but I doubt it'll make much difference."

Sanji attacked first. The chef blurred with speed as he spun at the god. His polished black shoe simply phased straight through Enel's head, the air crackling with power. Sanji grunted in pain, but still managed to bring his other leg up in a wide arc through Enel's stomach. Enel just looked bored, not even flinching.

Almost casually, Enel flicked his finger towards Sanji. The bolt of lightning was fast and brutal, enough to send the chef flying to the ground.

"Sanji!" Usopp shouted in shock, his voice croaking in fear. His feet pounded against the wood, and he slamming towards Enel in the blink of an eye, with all the momentum of a wrecking ball. Enel looked mildly bored as Usopp phased through the lightning, before Enel kicked him absentmindedly and sent the huge toad barrelling into the Going Merry.

Chopper was there in an instant, swallowing a Rumble ball to transform into a hulking reindeer hybrid with bulging biceps. He never even got close as Enel sent him crashing into the ship with a localised bolt of lightning.

"Boring!" Enel yawned, slowly turning around to face Nami, Vivi and Conis.

He seemed to settle on Conis first. Nami jumped in front of her, wielding her new sword awkwardly. Her hands were shivering and she was sweating. The air was so thick with electricity it made every hair on her body stand on end. Somehow, Enel's mild disinterest was even more terrifying than Marcus' raw insanity.

"Oh, so you defeated Ohm then?" Enel noted. Honestly, he was a bit surprised Ohm fell so easily, but it didn't matter. His priests had all obviously been incompetent. He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You're all insects to me. I will only allow the last four standing to join me, and that's not you."

"Shut up!" Nami snapped. Carefully, Vivi was taking position next to her, glaring at Enel. "What did you do Luffy?!"

At the other side, Usopp and Sanji were slowly staggering upward. Enel simply scoffed. "Who?"

His disinterest nearly caused Nami to explode, but the fear was holding her back. "Our captain," she growled, risking a glance to the blackened earth dominated by the body of the giant python. The Going Merry was now too far away to see any details. "Dark hair. Lean. Wearing shorts. W_hat did you do him?!_"

"That guy," Enel said indifferently, raising his hand. "He's dead."

There was no time to be shocked or even outraged. The lightning arced from his fingers, but Nami was ready for it. She used Ohm's sword like a lightning rod, redirecting the attack, just as Vivi lashed out with three blades of sand so sharp that sheared through the wooden deck with ease. Sanji was already up and moving, screaming in rage as he slammed his foot into Enel.

The god just rolled his eyes. He only needed to glance at Sanji before another bolt of lightning struck him to the ground. Nami was next; she tried to block but it was too much, and the electricity sent her screaming to the ground in a shower of cinders. Vivi phased through the attack, but the lightning still caused the wood to explode and her to fall off her feet.

"Fools," Enel muttered, even as Nami, Vivi and Usopp pulled themselves to their feet in pain. Conis was still too paralysed to move. "I grow tired of humouring you like this. Haven't you realised my divine power yet? I am God. I am on a different level to you mortals. You cannot hurt me. There is nothing you can do to even touch me –"

There was a snap, and something light flickered against with his face, causing Enel to blink and touch his nose with shock. Usopp was standing up, still stuck in pose after flicking his rubber band through his toady fingers.

"Usopp Rubber Band?" He muttered, hopefully.

There was a stunned silence. Enel stared at Usopp incredulously, still rubbing his nose. It took a few seconds for the god to become angry. The air crackled furiously.

Sanji slowly turned to Usopp, while lightning a cigarette and bracing himself. "You just _had_ to do it, didn't you?" The chef said with a sigh. Usopp seemed frozen in place. "You just _had_ to make the homicidal, super powered psychopath _angry_…"

The sky cracked. Raw power shot downwards, a pure white light so powerful it burnt through the air like a torrent of fire. It crashed straight into the mast and just kept on going, tearing through wood with ease. That was when the screaming started, but it drowned out by the massive roll of thunder.

Vivi clutched Nami and Conis tightly, dragging them off the ship to avoid the falling debris. Sanji was caught in a shower of sparks, while Chopper ran inside with a squeal to treat his patients. The lightning punched a smooth hole almost straight through the Going Merry. The whole ship shuddered.

Usopp instinctively jumped backwards, sailing through the air in a massive bound. Enel was there in a flash of sparks before he even hit the ground. Enel's gaze was murderous. Usopp never had time to even scream as the lightning shot towards him.

"Leave him alone!" Vivi roared, slamming her hands as a wall of sand burst from the ground, covering Usopp. The electricity sparked through the sand, carving it into a solid jagged structure protruding from the earth.

Enel reacted instantly, pointing towards Vivi. Before she could even blink, five bolts of lightning shot holes through her head and body, only for sand to regenerate them in less than a second. Enel glared.

"Logia…" He muttered furiously. He was breathing deeply. He was rapidly becoming annoyed. "I grow tired of dealing with all these _pretenders_. I am the only true God, and all other Devil fruit users are merely mimicking _my_ divine supremacy!"

Vivi didn't respond. Enel was glaring at her angrily. In the last twenty four hours he had encountered more Logia Devil fruit users than he had his whole life. He didn't like it. The very concept that there was anybody even remotely similar to him disturbed Enel to the core.

"All of you heretics that would dare threaten _my_ right must be made to suffer!" Enel declared, pointing towards Vivi. "I shall show you the power of a _true_ God!"

The lightning crackled furiously through the air, forming the shape of a giant falcon, talons outstretched. Vivi reacted by throwing up a wave of sand, yet the lightning just burst through it. She screamed from reflex as electricity burst through her, but it tingled more than it hurt. Her body was already reforming in a large swirl of sand, just as Vivi launched a half a dozen blades of spinning sand. Enel never even seemed to notice them as he threw both hands forward, unleashing a blinding flash of power.

Sand and lightning clashed furiously. Usopp leapt backwards in panic, but he was still hit by a stray bolt that knocked him to the ground. Nami screamed and dived to the ground, feeling the electricity overhead. Around her, the lightning sculpted jagged structures of scorched sand as it returned to earth, like claws jutting out of the ground.

It lasted barely five seconds, but Vivi was already gasping for breath as the exhaustion hit her. She could feel the sand churning under her skin, but no matter how much she released it didn't even seem to faze Enel. The god simply stared at her, like a bug that was proving stubborn to squash.

_This man is stronger than me_, Vivi realised with a panicked gulp as Enel launched another storm of electricity.

The lightning bolts slammed down from above, a rain of blinding flashes bursting from the sky, each one scorching through the earth. Vivi couldn't dodge and she couldn't block it. She felt the lightning tingle through her, only to transform into a roaring agony bursting through her body. It felt like every single grain of sand of her dematerialised body was being scorched. She screamed in pain, only the sand to resonate through the air like howling sandstorm.

Vivi lasted as long as she could, but then the charge crashed into her and she went skidding to the ground, every nerve screaming in pain as she tried to reform. Enel just walked towards her coldly, stepping across the devastated ground.

"Vivi!" Nami shouted in panic, rushing to the princess' side.

Her heart was pounding furiously. Vivi tried to stand up, but her legs were numb. Her eyes were wide and her face was pale as Enel approached. "Stay back!" Vivi screamed. Nami froze. "Get away from here right now!"

Nami hesitated for half a second, staring between her fallen friend and the seemingly invincible foe. Slowly, Enel turned to glance towards her. "Is this a friend of yours?" He asked simply, moving his arm around to point at Nami. "Then you can watch her die first!"

Vivi shrieked in fear. Nami turned and ran, but not fast enough. The lightning bolted out of Enel's fingertips, forming into a roaring tiger just as it slammed towards Nami. For a split second, Nami's heart stopped.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her to the ground. There was a flash of blinding light, followed by a shrill scream. Nami could hardly breathe as she felt the heat and the smell of burning flesh hit her.

There was a quiet pause. It took Nami a few seconds just to focus on the figure standing above her. She stared at Luffy in amazement, but his body was trembling weakly, his eyes unfocused. He was standing in front of her, shielding her from the blast while his back was smoking gently.

"Luffy…!" Nami gasped in part relief and part horror. Her captain looked terrible. He was shaking like a man who was half dead.

"Nami…" Luffy muttered; his voice strangely gentle as he pulled himself up with a wince of pain. "…Could you please go back to the Merry and make sure everyone is alright? I promise I'll be there soon; just one thing I've got to take care of first."

He staggered around to glare at Enel. Nami didn't respond, speechlessly staring at him. Luffy was still trembling slightly. "Please, Nami," Luffy murmured. He turned and forced a small smile. "_Go_."

It took a while for her brain to start working again, but fortunately Nami's legs took over. She was running towards the smoking wreck of the ship before she even processed what was happening. Enel looked at Luffy curiously, a slight frown on his face.

"Didn't I kill you?" Enel said finally, staring at Luffy critically. "I'm fairly sure I remembered killing you."

Luffy nodded. "I get that a lot," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

"Hmph…" Enel scoffed, pointing his finger. "Allow me to finish the job."

The bolt of lightning shot out of his hand faster than a bullet. Luffy was already moving. His heart was beating louder than ever, and his feet slammed against the ground. The lightning moved to chase him down, but he just managed to avoid it as the electricity discharged into ground behind him.

Luffy turned and charged towards Enel, bringing his fist back for a heavy blow. He was there in a second, but Enel just rolled his eyes as Luffy's fist phased straight through his head. Luffy screamed as Enel transformed into electricity that shot down his shoulder.

"You can't touch me," Enel said dismissively. His hand shot outwards, catching Luffy's neck as he slammed the pirate into the earth with cloud of dust.

Vivi shouted in concern, but Luffy was already up and moving. His leg blurred in a flurry of spinning kicks, followed by an uppercut and vicious shoulder barge. The attacks were furious and deadly fast, but Enel never even felt them. Luffy phased straight through his body in a haze of sparks, crashing into the dust.

Enel smirked as he levelled his hand at Luffy. The pirate screamed as another bolt of lightning knocked into him, but Luffy recovered instantly. He gritted his teeth, snarling wordless as he launched another round of vicious blows. Luffy's body was sweating and trembling, every tendon as taught as a wire as his muscles bulged.

"You're not a very smart man, are you?" Enel mocked as another fist blurred through his forehead. Watching the mortals fight hopelessly was the privilege of being a god. His hand glowed with sparks as he slammed it into Luffy's chest.

Luffy grunted but didn't stop. He barely felt the pain anymore. There was no banter, no thought other than every fist and every kick. Enel never bothered dodging, but just occasionally threw out an attack that sent Luffy skidding to the ground. He was smirking like a child pulling the wings off a fly slowly just to see how long it would thrash.

Luffy didn't care. He just kept on punching and kicking madly, even as the sparks tore his body apart.

And every attack just kept on getting faster and stronger.

Vivi watched with wordless awe. The pirate was a blur of sparks as he charged with relentless fury, an unyielding cloud of fists, feet, elbows, knees, head and teeth as he thrashed at Enel. Slowly, Enel's smirk turned into a frown.

"This is getting boring now…" The god murmured, as the air crackled. A giant fist of lightning burst out of his body, crashing towards Luffy. The pirate just braced himself and charged, bringing his foot around in a flashing kick that scraped against Enel's cheek. The light was blinding.

"_Luffy_!" Vivi screamed frantically, tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched the pirate zap into the ground.

He landed face first into the dirt, soot covering his whole body. Luffy closed his eyes for a second as he took a deep breath, and pulled himself up to his feet. His hands weren't trembling anymore.

"Yep…" Luffy muttered finally, staring at Enel. His gaze had a cold determination to it. There was no fire or anger; just a relentless icy fury that blocked out the screaming agony of his body. "Your attacks are definitely getting weaker."

Enel frowned. Vivi stared at Luffy with open-mouthed speechlessness. "Why won't you just die already?" Enel demanded finally. There was just a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "Wasting so much time on you is _insulting_. You are nothing more than a dumb monkey challenging a divine being. Haven't you realised that you are incapable of hurting me?"

Luffy paused, staggering forward slowly. "Is that so?" He murmured, still gasping for breath wheezily. He managed a small smirk. "Then why are you _bleeding_?"

It took the god a few seconds to recognise the faint dribble of red liquid dropping from his face. Enel caught a drop of blood on his fingertips, staring at it with wide eyed shock. Nobody moved.

"But... but…" Enel stammered, as his cheek continued to bleed. There was blood on the corner of Luffy's sandal. "…But… that's imposs –"

Enel didn't even see the attack coming. Luffy's legs just exploded in a roar of power as the pirate slammed forward, his fist blurring with speed. His heart felt like a sledgehammer, while he roared in determination. Luffy's knuckles collided straight into Enel's stomach.

And deep inside the pirate, he felt a lock shatter as the power exploded through him like fire roaring through his bloodstream.

The blow landed with a crunch of flesh and bone. Enel's eyes nearly burst out of his head as the air was crushed out of his lungs, while his whole body flew backwards. Vivi never even had time to blink, but she felt the whoosh of air knock her to the ground and then suddenly Enel was crashing through stone ruins.

Luffy was on him in a second. Enel barely managed to pull himself up before Luffy's fist zoomed into view. Knuckles slammed against his nose with a sickening crack.

The air pulsed with lightning that struck Luffy to the ground. Enel staggered to his knees, nearly hyperventilating in shock as he clutched his stomach and felt the blood stream from his broken nose. Luffy winced with pain as he staggered upwards, but his muscles were roaring with relentless energy.

"How… _how are you doing this_?!" Enel screamed, the fear soaking through his voice.

"Not a clue," Luffy replied simply, dropping into a fighting stance, fists raised. "But I'm willing to bet I can keep on doing it."

Enel's eyes were wide with panic. Around him, the air crackled in a furious haze of sparks. "_HOW DARE YOU!?" _Enel screamed, pushing both hands forward with a tremendous roar of lightning. "I am _GOD_!"

There was no pause or hesitation. Luffy just charged straight through the lightning, not even caring as the electricity burned through him. That power pulsed from within him. With every spark of pain and every grunt of determination, it just became stronger.

"Not for much longer you're not," Luffy muttered quietly, swinging his arm around for a satisfying collision against Enel's skull.

* * *

"Come on!" Vivi shouted, shaking Usopp's body until the huge toad started to stir. Bulbous toad eyes jumped open.

"…Ugh?" Usopp groaned, dazedly pulling himself awake and staring at Vivi. "What happened?"

"We've got go right _now_," Vivi insisted, trying to drag Usopp up. She might as well have tried to bench press a horse.

Usopp looked confused, before he heard the sound of lightning roaring in the background. He turned, but the electric storm was blinding in intensity. His mouth dropped opened.

The light and fire exploded at the base of the beanstalk, and the lightning burst everywhere. The crackling was a ferocious roar, while the bolts of lightning shot so furiously it was just a solid stream of blue lightning discharging through the air. The storm was so powerful it gouged a hole through the forest, disintegrating everything in two hundred yards. The very sight made Usopp's knees weak. It looked like an act of God.

Then Usopp glimpsed Luffy, a dark shadow flickering through the intense light. Both he and Vivi stared with amazement at the battle so intense and fast that they couldn't even keep track of it.

"Let's get out of here," Usopp muttered with a croak, pulling himself to his feet and hopping away.

Vivi nodded. She turned to stare at the Going Merry, still smoking as it drifted sluggishly down the Milky Road without a mast, before glancing back at the storm of lightning. She bit her bottom lip, before clenching her fists and running towards the fight.

* * *

"_Just die_!" Enel roared as the lightning swirled around him with crackling fury. Luffy dodged the first strike, but the rest took him to the ground. Luffy roared in pain, but just kept pounding forward. He couldn't feel his limbs anymore, but his body didn't stop.

Enel's Mantra was working like never before, predicting every attack and every dodge. He dodged a salvo of lightning fast kicks, replying with a thunder bolt that chased after Luffy even as he rolled to avoid it. He barely managed to spin away just as the lightning discharged into the earth, but it was followed by a stream of furious blasts.

"You will burn before my might!" Enel proclaimed, thrusting both hands forward. Above them, a cluster of electricity crackled in the air, before shooting down in a steady stream of blue light. "Judgement of God!"

Luffy sprinted away quickly, even as he felt the heat burn his back and the lightning torch straight through the earth. There was no time to pause. He was already spinning his fist around in an unstoppable blow, while Enel had to dematerialise into lightning and zap away to avoid the attack.

As soon as he reformed, Luffy was on him in a second. Enel caught a glancing blow on the shoulder, just as a wave of thunder struck him to the ground.

"Die, infidel!" Enel roared, unleashing a crackling bolt. Luffy was already moving, spinning to avoid the blast as he closed the distance between them once again. Enel panicked for half a second before vanishing into a stream of thunder, yet Luffy's fist never stopped. Enel felt the blow collide against his back, knocking him into the ground.

_He can hit me even when I'm dematerialised?_ Enel thought with panic. _What sort of power is he using?!_

Luffy's barrage of fists burst towards him. Enel reacted on instinct, using Mantra to weave through the blows. His movements were lightning fast as he dodged every attack. Enel could feel his heart pounding, his lungs wheezing for breath, and the blood filling his mouth even as Luffy's knuckles scraped against his skin.

_This is impossible_, Enel told himself repeatedly, the dread rising in his body. _I can move at the speed of lightning. I can predict every attack. _

_So how come I'm barely keeping up?_

A glancing blow knocked Enel to the ground, followed by a kick straight to his chest. Enel took the blow like a champ, before sending a pulse of electricity straight through Luffy's leg. The pirate roared in pain, but didn't stop as he spun his other leg straight into Enel's skull.

Enel was faster and more powerful. He had every advantage and Luffy's body was falling to pieces.

Still, Luffy was relentless. Somehow, his every attack just became stronger and faster than the last.

Enel barely had a chance to breathe before a hooking fist slammed towards him. There was blood pouring from his forehead. God shouldn't bleed.

"DIE!" Enel screamed, as lightning pulsed into the air around him, heating it until it exploded in a huge thunderclap. The shockwave cracked the earth and sent Luffy physically flying into the air. Enel was on the offensive immediately, materialising a giant hand of lightning that snatched Luffy out of the air.

The pirate didn't even have time to gasp for breath as Enel threw him downwards like a ragdoll, crashing through the cloud and straight into the ruins beneath. Luffy slammed into an old stone building, crashing through rock painfully before coming to a halt in a shower of dust.

Luffy's head spun madly. He gasped as he glanced around through unfocused eyes, before he focused on a figure chilling casually against a stone tablet.

"Come on, Luffy," Ace said condescendingly. "You can do better than _that_."

Luffy didn't respond. His breathing was shallow and his body was numb, but he still managed to claw his way out and charge upwards towards the layer of cloud. Somehow, he knew exactly where Enel was standing, and the god had to jump to avoid Luffy slamming his way from beneath the cloud.

Enel unleashed a hail of lightning bolts. Luffy didn't even think about it. His body moved on its own as he swerved in between the bolts of intense light. Enel's mouth dropped open, and Luffy charged towards him with a powerful fist. Enel dodged, but the blow still ended up crashing against his forehead.

The god crashed to the ground, staring at Luffy in shock and horror. Each punch felt like a sledgehammer. Enel should have dodged that one. He knew exactly where Luffy was aiming at, but then the pirate just moved his hand. _Is… is this brat using Mantra too?!_

In a battle between two Mantra users, both of them could predict the other's attacks, and then predict how the other would avoid that attack. The one that would win would simply be the one with the most concentrated Mantra. Enel's hands were shaking as he glared at Luffy. _This… this… can't be…_ Enel thought, breathing heavily. _This brat's Mantra can't be more powerful than _mine_!_

Enel screamed. The thunder was so powerful it shook the earth. A solid sphere of blue lightning burst out of him, cutting through everything in its path. Luffy gasped, but there was no way to avoid it. Instead, he just gritted his teeth and charged through. He could feel the air crackling and exploding around him. He could feel the heat scorching his body. He was just moving too fast to care.

The god's eyes bulged as he saw Luffy approach. He reacted quickly, slamming a thunder-infused fist towards Luffy, just as Luffy's knuckles burst towards his chin. They each landed their blows at the same time, and the momentum sent both men flying backwards.

Luffy crashed into the forest, shooting through a pile of brambles. He landed on his hands and feet, groaning as he pulled himself up. Ace was suddenly standing next to him, leaning against a tree with a small smile on his face.

"A _bit_ better," Ace conceded with a smirk, arms folded. "But not enough."

Luffy didn't respond. His hands were shaking furiously as he staggered upwards. His heart was drumming like never before. His whole body wanted to collapse. The only thing that kept him going was that power inside of him. It was like pure, concentrated determination. The type of power that kept him fighting until there was nothing left.

_So this is Haki_, Luffy thought slowly. It was so intense he could barely control it, but just kept on swirling through his body. He could feel it coating his skin like armour, and he could feel it in his mind, pushing him to go faster and stronger.

_Haki. Pure willpower. The power to achieve the impossible. The power to break through boundaries._

Luffy was staggering out of the forest. Somehow, he knew exactly where Enel was. He could _feel_ the man on his skin, and he could feel his presence in the air. It was an unstable, fleeting knowledge that he couldn't explain. He never knew how to use this power, but he just kept on thrashing with it until it worked.

Enel was bleeding and bruised as he stumbled onto the ruins, taking the high ground while Luffy approached across the plain. The air was crackling intensely, so powerful that stray bolts of lightning burst around him.

"You bastard!" Enel screamed loudly. His voice was raw and primal. There was no boredom, no mild disinterest anymore. "I am _GOD_! How dare you challenge _GOD_! I will destroy you!"

The bolts of lightning streamed towards him. Luffy's eyes widened in shock as his legs exploded in speed. He had to get up close. He might be able to fight Enel in close combat, but at this range, Enel had every advantage.

Solid streams of electricity burst towards him. Luffy dodged and swerved faster than before, but each bolt arced to chase him down. The clouds exploded in sparks. Luffy managed to close half the distance, before the lightning flashed collided with his body.

The force took him off his feet, but there was already another barrage of bolts streaming towards him. There was no avoiding it. Luffy could only gasp as the power scorched his skin and sent him slamming into the ground.

A second later, the air cracked as a thunderous blast charged towards him. Luffy could barely even move while the intense heat and force crashed into him like a train.

Enel was panting heavily, but he still sneered as Luffy collapsed into the ground. The pirate was trying to stagger upwards, yet Enel's gaze was murderous. "Mine is the divine power!" Enel snarled, firing bolt after bolt of arcing power. "I will burn you to a crisp! I am death! I am God!"

Luffy was gasping for air as he rolled for cover behind a ruined wall, but the lightning still crashed around him, each impact jarring his body. Clouds of dust flew everywhere. Luffy's body was pale as he fought to remain conscious despite his head burning and his body screaming. He couldn't feel the damage anymore, but he knew it was stacking up. It was so hard even to move.

Enel just didn't stop screaming. His eyes were wide and psychotic as he unleashed blasts of blue lightning. The ancient Shandorian building jutting out of the cloud was quickly being transformed into scorched rubble.

"My power is unconquerable! My will is great!" Enel roared, not pausing with the attack. "All who defy me must die! All who challenge me must burn!"

Slowly, he started to walk towards the pinned down pirate. The ruins were disappearing in large chunks, and Luffy was running out of places to hide. The lightning blasted through stone with ease, sending glowing red chunks of rubble into the air. Each blast came with a thunderclap so intense it rocked Luffy down to the bones. It was so hard to breathe with all the smoke and ash in the air.

Enel just smirked as he felt Luffy's presence weaken through Mantra. "I will kill you!" Enel proclaimed. "I will turn you to ash! And then I will bring down heavenly judgement onto all who follow you! I will destroy them all!"

Luffy tried to run for cover, but then a burning chunk of debris launched towards him and crashed into the back of his hot. The force knocked him to the ground. He felt his vision blur and the blood ooze from his head, just as Enel caught him with a vicious lightning bolt. Luffy crashed to the ground in a smouldering pile, gasping weakly for breath.

The god approached him a victorious grin, levelling his hand at Luffy. The pirate was struggling to even breathe. He tried to pull himself up, but his legs were weak. That earlier power was bleeding away quickly.

Still, he managed to glare at Enel darkly. "Say it again," Luffy demanded in a wheezy voice, clenching his knuckles.

Enel scoffed. "What?"

"_Say. It. Again._" Luffy's voice was gravelly and rough. "I want you to say that last sentence again. I want to hear you say it."

A small, arrogant smile spread across Enel's lips. The air crackled furiously. "I will destroy them all," Enel repeated smugly. "I'm going to kill them. I'm going to burn for the pathetic infidels that they –"

He never saw the attack coming. There was no warning, no hesitation. One second, Luffy was lying on the ground, and then the next, his knuckles were burying themselves into Enel's face.

It wasn't a punch. A 'punch' implies flesh and bone. A 'punch' suggests a finite change in momentum, and a bounded acceleration. A 'punch' infers some sort of recoil. Punches were relatively mundane compared to what hit Enel.

Instead, Luffy's fist gleamed pitch black as it crashed straight into Enel's chin. There were wrecking balls that caused less devastation.

The shockwave burst the sound barrier. Luffy couldn't feel any pain or damage, but instead his knuckles were suddenly covered in an indestructible coating as they collided with unstoppable momentum. There was a crack of bone, and in an instant the air was raining with fragments of Enel's teeth as the god was sent shooting backwards.

Luffy nearly collapsed, but he staggered upwards. He could feel the Haki again, more intense and powerful than ever. Luffy was breathing weakly as he staggered forward, but the determination pumped into his muscles like rocket fuel.

"Thank you," Luffy growled, glaring at Enel. His right fist was pitch black. The black sheen slowly spread upwards his wrist as he focused more Haki. It was willpower so concentrated it took a physical shape. "I _really_ needed to hear you say that."

Enel's was shaking with shock as he pulled himself up. "You bastard!" Enel tried to scream, but his jaw wasn't moving properly and all that came out was an incomprehensible garble. His jaw was in agony and felt broken. Blood was swelling up in his mouth. He had to spit out the shard of his teeth before he choked.

Enel spent a long time staring in horror at the bloody gloop that came from his mouth. He ran his fingers gingerly into his mouth only to realise that most of his front teeth were missing. His hands were trembling in a fear that he had never known before.

_God cannot be injured. God is immortal, God is indestructible, and God is divine. This cannot happen to _God_…_

Enel was sweating madly. He glared at Luffy with mad, unhinged eyes as the pirate slowly staggered towards him. The god screamed in primal rage as he lashed out with an arc of blindingly intense lightning.

Luffy reacted instantly. He didn't dodge, but he just raised his right hand and caught the stream of electricity in the palm of his hand. The air roared and crackled madly as the lightning fought against the black coating covering Luffy's palm.

Then, a few seconds later, the lightning halted. Luffy's hand looked completely unharmed. Luffy just blinked in surprise as he flexed his fingers curiously, watching how the black coating flexed like unbreakable armour embedded into the skin.

"Oh," Luffy said simply, fiddling his fingers as the black coating slowly disappeared, like ink dripping away.

Enel's eyes were wide and disbelieving as he watched his attack be blocked so easily. His body was shaking. Luffy just grinned, before leaping up into the air and bringing his leg downwards. His foot transformed pitch black just before it made contact. Enel barely avoided in time, but the foot smashed into the cloud with immense force and just kept on going.

The cloud layer tremored and collapsed inwards as the earthquake shook the whole island.

* * *

"Luffy!" Vivi shouted, rushing through the forest. Her body was scorched and sore, but she refused to be useless. She was a Logia too; Luffy would need her help.

The towering beanstalk loomed overhead. She burst out of the treeline, just to watch a blinding light display explode in large ruins below. It looked like an ancient city, cradled in a depression in the ground while chunks of Island Cloud littered everywhere and the beanstalk burst out of the ground in the centre. Vivi's gasped as she saw the frenzied battle erupting below, cutting through the ancient ruins.

Enel was obvious. The god was a blinding figure of intense blue as he flickered around the ruins with lightning speed, unleashing storms of electric bolts. Huge rocks and stone were ruins were devastated as he thrashed furiously, screaming madly.

And then there was Luffy. He moved so fast that Vivi could barely keep track. He was relentless, chasing after Enel with superhuman ferocity. His legs and arms blurred a stream of vicious attacks. He smashed through the lightning, go straight for his opponent. Vivi could practically see the terror in Enel's eyes each time he got close, but not even Enel's speed could run from him. Luffy was a darting blur of black, cutting through the waves of electric blue furiously as the pair danced around the ruins.

"Luffy…" Vivi gasped in awe. The scale of the battle took her breath away.

She hesitated slightly, before rushing downwards into the ruins of the city. Stray lightning bolts exploded everywhere, but Vivi transformed into a cloud of sand before materialising into the centre of the city, watching the two men shoot by her.

"Vivi!" Luffy shouted in shock, just as Enel barely avoided a spinning kick. "What are you doing here!?"

Enel launched a furious blast of blue light at Luffy's back, only for it to be absorbed by a sudden wall of sand. The god glared at Vivi with unrestrained rage. The princess just smirked. "I'm here to help!" Vivi replied, looking at Luffy. "Let's take this guy out together!"

Luffy hesitated for half a second, before grinning and resuming his assault. Both fists were as black as ink as crashed towards Enel. The god flickered away on top of building, only for his footing to be destroyed by a sudden wave of sand. The sand phased straight through him, but it was enough of a distraction for Luffy to land a heavy blow on his chest.

Enel groaned, but recovered quickly. He was screaming maniacally as he launched a bolt of lightning towards Vivi, only for her to dematerialise around it instinctively. Vivi was laughing. The sound was enough to drive the god even more insane.

He roared, generating a thunderclap that knocked Luffy away before leaping into the air. He transformed into lightning as he shot upwards, unleashing a furious barrage of swirling lightning blasts. Luffy never had time to dodge, but Vivi quickly generated a shell of sand above him to absorb the attacks, while she phased through the attacks in a swirl of sand.

"Vivi!" Luffy shouted. "Get me close to him!"

She nodded. There was time to ask why, but all she knew was that she trusted her captain completely. Her powers were so much easier to control when Luffy was by her side. For the first time, she actually realised that she was enjoying using the Sand Sand fruit. "Right!"

The ground rippled as Vivi dragged a large bundle of sand out of the earth, transforming it into a giant hand of sand that wrapped around Luffy. He never even had time to gasp as suddenly his whole body accelerated upwards to meet Enel in mid-air.

Enel tried to avoid him. Luffy was faster. His hand clutched a hold of Enel's foot and swung the god towards the ground. The next second, both men were falling towards the earth while Luffy's arms wrapped around the Enel's chest tightly.

"Got you!" Luffy roared triumphantly. Enel tried to thrash, but Luffy's grip was like iron, while preventing him from dematerialising.

Enel growled, before the air sparked and he started to pump out thousands of volts from his whole body. Luffy screamed as he felt the electricity cut through him.

_Ok, so holding on to him isn't a good idea_, Luffy conceded weakly, but somehow he managed to keep a hold. The electricity was cutting through his body, but his grip was tight. Luffy had one arm around Enel's neck and the other around his chest, squeezing the life out of him as they both crashed to the ground.

Then Vivi attacked with three blades of razor sharp sand cutting through the air. With Luffy's Haki restraining him, Enel couldn't dematerialise around the attack. The swirling blades of sand cut towards him, biting into his chest.

Enel crashed to the ground in a splatter of blood, feeling the pain from the deep gouges in his chest. Vivi caught Luffy in a bed of soft sand as he landed, and the pirate staggered upwards. His eyes were unfocused and his head was spinning, but he still found the strength to keep on going. Luffy's whole body was blistered, burnt and covered in soot, but somehow he just didn't stop.

Enel was screaming as he clutched at his chest, watching the blood ooze from the wound. His eyes were bloodshot and insane as he looked between Vivi and Luffy in terror. Both the pirates were slowly converging on him from different directions.

"Give it up," Luffy ordered, his voice cold. "You've lost."

Somehow, Luffy knew that Enel would never stop. There was insanity in his eyes; a fragile arrogance that covered a terrified core. The man would fight desperately until the bitter end, clinging onto the only truth he was capable of accepting; that 'God' could not lose.

His breathing was wheezy and shallow as he stared between them. Enel had never felt pain like this before. It was a while before he managed to speak.

"Do you care for her?!" Enel's voice was hoarse and croaky as he fought in agony to force the barely distinguishable words out through a broken jaw. He was staring at Luffy with a mixture of anger and panic. "Is she a '_friend_' of yours?"

Luffy didn't respond, casting a worried glance towards Vivi. He didn't like the way Enel was focusing on her. The god's eyes were bloodthirsty as he screamed with fury. "_Judgement of God!_"

The air split and a solid stream of blue electricity burst downwards. Luffy flinched, but then he realised that Enel wasn't aiming at him.

"Vivi!" He screamed, watching the princess be devoured by the crackling light

"I'm fine!" Vivi replied loudly, dissipating into a cloud of sand. "He can't hurt me like this –"

Luffy realised a second too late what Enel was doing. The electricity formed a large, circular stream of power around Vivi. Enel wasn't aiming for her at all; he was aiming at the ground she was standing on.

She never even had time to scream as the lightning cut a smooth hole straight through the earth. After that, physics took over and Vivi was suddenly dropping through the island. And into the Sea Cloud beneath.

Enel's eyes were triumphant. His mouth twisted into an insane grin, revealing a mouth of jagged, broken teeth. "If you care for her…!" He screeched. "Then go _catch_ her!"

There was no hesitation. There was no decision to be made. Luffy didn't think of the fight or his opponent. He didn't even think that neither of them could swim. All Luffy knew was that his friend needed him and that was enough. He dived through the hole without a second thought, splashing straight into the cold, fluffy ocean of cloud.

In the ruins, everything became deathly quiet. Enel stared at the hole with shock, and then, because he was a coward at heart, he used his powers to collapse one of the buildings. A mountain of stone and rubble blocked the hole to ensure that no one could climb back up that way.

Enel paused, still kneeling on the ground as he bled into the dirt. The demolished and ancient city seemed to be mocking him. His breathing was wheezy. All smugness or confidence had vanished. It was hard to be arrogant when you were missing your teeth and you had someone's knuckles imprinted on your face.

"I am _God_," Enel muttered quietly. The silence of the Shandorian ruins was making him uneasy. "I _am_ God. I am God. I am God…"

He kept on repeating the words, but they were hardly recognisable through his broken jaw. He was panting as he struggled to pull himself up. His face was bruised and beaten beyond recognition. Enel growled, his face contorting in fury.

"_I AM GOD_!" He roared, shouting at the silence. "I won because I am God. This game is over! I have won! I won because _I am God!_"

The silence didn't disappear. There were tears rolling down his bloody cheeks and his hands were trembling madly. Enel was nearly suffering a panic attack. He knew how close he had come to defeat.

The concept of his own mortality was the most terrifying thing Enel had ever encountered.

The wrecked ruins were looming around him. Stone carvings and ancient symbols glared at him everywhere he looked. The silence was agonising. The tears just didn't stop.

"I am God…" Enel muttered under his breath, softly. It took a long time for him to stand up and stagger away, heading towards the beanstalk. _It is time to leave this wretched place_, he decided finally, _Ark Maxim is ready and Fairy Vearth awaits_.

Fifteen minutes later, he was on the top of Giant Jack, staring down at Upper Yard from the deck of his flying ship. He was still sore, but he had cauterised the wound across his chest using his own lightning. With a flash of electricity, Arc Maxim slowly started to power up, lifting off the ground via hundreds of Jet Dials. It should have been a moment to celebrate. Instead, Enel just felt hollow.

"The game is over. I have won," Enel muttered coldly, glaring at the floating island he had come to despise. "Only God has dominion in the sky, all others are abominations against the natural order. _I will send this cursed place back down to where it belongs!_"

With churn of gears and mechanism, the cloud generator activated and started to spill out black clouds over the sky of Upper Yard. Enel took his place on his golden throne, watching the shadows block out the sun.

"I will destroy them," Enel vowed emotionlessly. "I will kill them all."

Slowly, the giant ship started to creep into the air as the thunder rumbled across the island. Enel would finally restore balance and send the mortals back to where they belonged.

Still, he couldn't even look at his own reflection in the golden throne as Arc Maxim roared into life.

* * *

Luffy's lungs screamed for breath as he plummeted through the soft Sea Cloud. There was no visibility, but Luffy didn't care. His heart was pounding madly as he felt the presence of Vivi in front of him, falling through the clouds.

Sea Cloud was less dense than water. A person sank through it faster. Vivi already was a good distance away, and Devil fruit users sank faster than most. Luffy tried frantically to swim downwards, but it barely made any difference as they both plummeted quickly.

His vision started to blur from lack of oxygen, yet Luffy refused to give in. Vivi would be immobilised in the water, but she would be drowning as well. He had to reach her. There was no room for anything less.

Otherwise they were facing a ten thousand metre drop to the surface.

_I have to reach her_. The seconds felt like hours as Luffy grasped blindly into the soft water.

_I have to reach her_. His body screamed, desperate for air. His head spun.

_I have to reach her_… Luffy could barely think of anything else as he dropped through the clouds. His head was too foggy; he couldn't feel her presence anymore.

He had no idea how long it lasted. It felt like hours of agony, but then suddenly the Sea Cloud disappeared. Air hit his lungs again, but there wasn't time to rejoice. Luffy's eyes widened in horror as he saw a field of white stretch out beneath him. He wasn't sinking in Sea Clouds anymore; he was dropping through the air.

He had broken through the White White Sea, and was now rapidly accelerating towards the White Sea. The air whooshed by him with furious speeds. His heart pounded incredibly. He was dropping faster than ever before.

And suddenly he saw Vivi. Luffy glimpsed her limp body dropping through the air. She was unconscious, her dress flapping madly around her. There was no time to think. Luffy just put his arms together and let himself drop towards her.

His heart was beating so fast it felt like ages, but then Luffy managed to wrap his fingers around her ankle and pull her towards him. Their bodies wafted cumbersomely in the freefall, but then Luffy managed to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her towards him closely. Their bodies pressed together as they fell.

"VIVI!" Luffy screamed desperately, trying to shake her conscious. His voice was barely audible over the sound of the wind flying by them.

Her eyelids flickered groggily. Vivi only just managed to open her eyes just as the surface of the White Sea barrelled into view.

The fall lasted 237 seconds. They both dropped three thousand meters in less than four minutes. It felt like longer.

Luffy reacted on impulse, twisting their bodies around so that he was on the bottom. So that he could absorb the collision for her.

His heart was fluttering madly. For a brief moment, the memory of all his friends flickered across his mind.

Then, they were swallowed by another layer of Sea Cloud. There was no impact, there wasn't even a splash. Sea Cloud was soft enough that there was barely any change in velocity as they kept on falling straight downwards.

The darkness swallowed them. Vivi only just managed to get a deep breath before her body became immobilised again. Luffy's grip around her waist was solid. Their chests were pressed together, their arms intertwined tightly. Luffy thrashed and kicked and tried to swim, but they were sinking too quickly. There was too much momentum and not enough thrust in the soft Sea Cloud. Vivi's body dragged him downwards, wrapping around his arms.

The only way he was going to swim was if he let go of her. If he dropped Vivi, then he might have a change to swim away. That wasn't even an option.

The White Sea was thicker than the White White Sea, but they were falling faster. Luffy's lungs screamed for air, while his lashed out, desperate for a fish to cling on. He needed something to stop the fall, but there was nothing. He just wasn't that lucky.

With a blast of air, they broke through the White Sea, and started to accelerate again. They both gasped for air just as they dropped. He felt Vivi squirm again, but they held each other tightly. The air whooshed by them furiously, like a roar in their ears.

Beneath them, a blue haze burst into view. The ground was rapidly zooming upwards. _Seven thousand meters_, Luffy recalled hazily, _and I did three thousand in 237 seconds_. His heart was beating so quickly he felt lightheaded. That means about nine and a bit minutes before they hit the ground.

_I have nine minutes left to live_, Luffy realised with shock. His grip on Vivi never slackened.

"Luffy…!" Vivi screamed in terror, yelling at the top of her voice into his ear.

"It's alright!" Luffy bellowed to be heard over the sound of the air. "It's alright!"

They were so close that he could feel her heartbeat. The air resistance tried to drag them away, but they both held on tightly. Vivi shook her head, her eyes wild and panicked. Her blue hair was flying everywhere.

"Luffy!" She shouted, tightening her grip on him until he could hardly breathe. "I need to tell you –"

He looked into her eyes. Vivi looked so scared that it sent shivers down his spine. Luffy felt his hands tighten into fists.

"Tell me later," he muttered with furious determination, tightening his grip around her body.

If he was alone he might have just fallen to his death. But there was no way in hell that he was going to allow his friend to die with him. He could feel the determination pounding inside of him.

_I've got nine minutes to learn how to fly_, Luffy thought with gritted teeth.

His legs kicked downwards with blurring speed. Vivi stared at him with shock, but he didn't care. Luffy just kept on kicking at the air, trying to find some leverage. He was roaring with fury as slammed his foot downwards.

_I will not die here!_ Luffy proclaimed to himself, feeling the power thrive inside of him. _Not like this! Not here…!_

Vivi was screaming as she held on to him. Suddenly, Luffy had all the motivation he needed. He wasn't going to let a little thing like gravity get in the way.

His right foot broke the sound barrier as he kicked downwards. His heel slammed with the air particles at such speed that the molecules couldn't diffuse around his foot in time. It felt like kicked concrete. The deceleration was instant.

Vivi squealed as the lurch pulled her upwards, but Luffy's grip was tight. He roared in fury as he kicked downwards again, followed by a resounding crack. He was kicking the air so quickly the force drove him upwards.

They were still falling, but it felt like they were slowing down. His legs were already aching but there was no time to pause. _Again!_ Luffy ordered his body brutally. _Get the rhythm right!_

His feet slashed downwards in rhythm, one after another. It felt like tightrope walking without the rope, but he just kept on going with breakneck speed. Vivi's mouth dropped open as she felt them slowly come to halt. For a second, they were hovering in place, thousands of meters above the ground.

Vivi stared at Luffy incredulously. She could feel his heart; and it was pounding like a workhouse. "How… how are you doing this?" She asked in a hushed breath. Without the wind roaring in her eyes, everything seemed so quiet.

Luffy didn't respond. _Please don't ask me that question_, Luffy thought pleadingly, but he didn't dare open his mouth. It was taking everything he had just to keep going.

But this pace stopped. Slowly and cumbersomely, the pair started to rise upwards. Luffy's movements became more fluid and natural, but the pace never stopped. Vivi could only gasp as they shot back up into the sky.

With determined frown, Luffy looked upwards to stare at the dark cloud hovering overhead. It was a long way away, but he was moving fast. His legs pulled as he slammed against the air, bouncing upwards until he was sprinting vertically.

Vivi was in his arms, holding onto his neck. She stared at the curve in the horizon with amazement, before bursting out laughing. The sound was like music to Luffy's ears. Luffy released the breath that he hadn't realised he was holding on, gasping loudly while the laughter broke through his lips. The sight of the world stretching out before him nearly took his breath away.

They were both laughing like mad as they shot upwards, heading straight to the dark clouds with breakneck speed.

* * *

A hushed silence spread over Upper Yard as the thunder clouds blocked out the sun. The Arc Maxim hovered in the sky around Giant Jack, at the centre of the island.

Nami's eyes were wide and fearful as she stared at the clouds. "Those aren't natural…" She muttered in quiet terror.

Usopp was next to her, staring at the flying ship hovering hundreds of metres above the ground. Even from this distance, he could see how big the Arc Maxim was. "A flying ship…" Usopp exclaimed in awe. "You mean they have flying ships here?!"

Next to them, Conis was kneeling on the ground, trembling madly. "This is God's work…" She stammered weakly. "He's sentenced us all to death…"

Sanji stood by the group, staying quiet as he watched the Arc Maxim churn out clouds. The sound of thunder rolled across the sky. The clouds were still taking shape, but Nami could see the flashes of lightning in the darkness. "Thunderclouds that big…" Nami gulped. "This isn't good; we've got to take cover."

"We can't leave the ship!" Usopp snapped, casting a painful glance towards the Going Merry. They had lost the mast, and there was big hole straight through the centre. It was lucky the whole ship hadn't collapsed, but Usopp wondered with quiet dread how much more of a beating Merry could take. His patchwork repairs were running thin.

Chopper, in Heavy point form, jumped down from the ship with an unconscious Zoro over his shoulder and Carue cradled in his arms. "We need to get somewhere I can treat my patients!" Chopper said firmly. "The Going Merry isn't a safe place for a medical procedure anymore."

Still, Usopp hesitated. He stared up at the flying ship, wondering how far he could jump. So long as that ship was up there, no one was safe.

There was a rumble from the sky. They all jumped as they saw a huge lightning blade crash downwards, obliterating a huge tree in a shower of sparks.

"He's killing trees?" Sanji asked finally, with confusion.

Nami shook her head. Around them, the sky was erupting in flashes of light exploding to the ground. "No…" She muttered in quiet terror. "He's killing _everything_…"

The thunder was deafening. Huge bolts of lightning shot across the island, tearing down huge gashes in the landscapes. There were fires blazing across the forest. Nobody said a word.

"Luffy will beat him, right?" Usopp muttered finally, his voice hopeful. "Luffy always beats the bad guys, right?"

There was a flash of light exploding above them. Usopp screamed as a vicious bolt of lightning struck the Going Merry, splintering the prow of the ship. He rushed to the ship's aid, but then a second lightning bolt slammed right into the centre of the group. Everybody jumped.

"He's aiming for us!" Nami shouted. "We've got to take cover!"

"But the Merry –" Usopp protested weakly.

"Get away from her!" Nami ordered. "Get to the trees!"

Chopper was already running, carrying the wounded in his arms. Usopp hesitated before hopping after him. The sky flashed with light. Sanji quickly lifted Conis off the ground and started sprinting, just as another bolt of lightning struck behind him. Nami couldn't get away in time, and the thunderclap sent flying backwards, dazed and disorientated as the group rushed on without her.

The thunderstorm only seemed to be getting stronger. Nami gulped, rushing for cover.

"Luffy…" She murmured under her breath. "Where are you…?"

* * *

At the other side of the beanstalk, Robin hurried quickly through the burning forest. The whole forest was in a state of panic. A bolt of lightning exploded against a stone ruin, and Robin felt her heart clench at the sight of so much history being destroyed in a flash of electricity. Still, she had priorities.

Robin carried Aisa in her arms. The young girl was weeping madly into Robin's shoulder while clutching her head in pain. "The screaming!" Aisa wailed. "All those voices… they're screaming…!"

The pain in her voice sent shivers down Robin's spine, but the sky was spewing lightning and there was nothing else to do than run. "Aisa!" Robin shouted firmly. "Do you know where Luffy is?"

The girl shook her head weakly. The tears weren't stopping. "Luffy is gone."

* * *

Wiper staggered upwards weakly as he felt the earth tremor around him. His body was so beaten and broken he could barely move. Instead, the berserker just crawled across the scorched earth, watching the forest erupt in fire.

His homeland was being destroyed in front of him.

And there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it.

The very though was enough for the tears to pour down his cheeks. Slowly, Wiper turned upwards to stare at the flying arc hovering around island, spilling down lightning.

_First the golden bell, and then my homeland…?_

"_DAMN YOU ENEL!_" Wiper roared furiously, tears flowing freely. He clutch at his chest as he staggered to his feet weakly.

* * *

Smoker groaned feebly, but he couldn't move. A blast of lightning had pinned a tree down onto him, and he couldn't even use his Devil powers so long as he had that Seastone bullet in his leg.

Instead, he just lay there. The heavy log crushed his stomach, leaving him stranded on his back as he stared up at the sky. The clouds were still churning black, like a monster growing into the sky. Smoker never even had the energy to struggle.

Around him, the trees were burning. Smoker couldn't even find the strength to fight. The memory of Tashigi flickered across his mind. He had lost everything.

* * *

The Shandorians took shelter beneath the giant, still body of the Master of the Sky, hiding from the lightning. Laki and the old chief tended to the wounded at the rear, while Braham took the front of group. They had been heading towards the beanstalk when the lightning struck and Arc Maxim took to the sky, leaving the raiders to crawl beneath the body of the enormous python while the lightning shot everywhere.

They all stared at the scorched ground, burning forest and black sky with horror. Laki was crying. Even Braham, normally so stoic, looked completely lost. The old chief seemed to have aged a decade in that moment alone.

A few minutes later, the pirates rushed out of the forest and took shelter next to Shandorians. Usopp was at the front, followed closely by Chopper and Sanji. Neither group had any will to fight left.

Robin and Aisa joined them shortly later, after following the voices Aisa heard until they found company. Nobody said a word as they approached. The lightning was ravaging their surroundings.

Slowly, the sky started to churn. A huge, spherical, black cloud, sparking with power, descended from the sky with ominous dread. It hovered behind the flying ship, before slowly approaching the ground. Aisa whimpered in pain.

"He's going to do it…" The old chief realised with quiet gloom. "Enel is actually going to destroy the whole island…"

* * *

Enel sat cross-legged on his golden throne. The Arc Maxim was still churning out clouds, and Enel was still providing power, but there was no enjoyment there. The black clouds of Deathpiea did little to appease his foul mood.

He dreamt of this moment for so long. He had wanted to make it a great affair, full of cheering and laughter as he wiped Skypiea off the map. Back in his homeland of Birka, he had sung and danced for weeks after he had destroyed the damn place.

Still, there was no pleasure this time. His last fight, his great 'Survival Game' hadn't gone the way he wanted. It was enough to put a foul mood over what should have been a joyous affair.

Enel had no will to drag it out. He couldn't be bothered to play with the mortals; he just wanted them all _gone_. As soon as the Arc Maxim reached the required capacity, Enel triggered the ultimate attack – the Advent of Thunder.

He shuddered and closed his eyes while the gigantic ball of lightning dropped from the sky, crashing towards the island slowly. The whole sphere crackled with unstable power, like a bomb waiting to explode.

"Just die…" Enel muttered softly. "God demands it…"

* * *

Gan Fall awoke tiredly, with Pierre in horse form, nudging his shirt urgently. He was lying by the edge of the Milky Road, while the trees around him blazed with fire.

The old soldier felt like a fossil as he pulled himself up, feeling his old bones creak. Slowly, Gan Fall walked to pick up his lance, frowning darkly at the sky spitting lightning across the island. His armour rattled with every movement. Pierre stood by his side, panicking with every bolt of lightning.

Gan Fall sighed. "Enel was right…" He muttered softly to his faithful companion. "I have failed in everything that I have attempted. I failed to broker peace between the Shandorians, I failed to repel Enel, and I even failed to assemble the Resistance. This whole plan has been a failure…"

Pierre whinnied reassuringly. Gan Fall managed a weak smile, staring at the flying ship destroying Skypiea. "I suppose if I'm so good at failing…" Gan Fall murmured. "I might as well fail one last time…"

He stared for a long time. Out of the trees, there was a frantic running before Nami burst into view. Gan Fall stared at the navigator in shock.

At once, Nami raised her sword. "Do you work for the Enel?" She demanded. Pierre neighed in outrage at the very suggestion. Gan Fall just raised his hand peacefully.

"Most certainly not," the old man replied. "You have nothing to fear from me."

Nami looked at him suspiciously, but lowered her weapon. "Is there a good place to hide around here?" She asked finally. "We need to take cover."

Gan Fall closed his eyes for a few seconds. "I doubt it'll make much difference," he said cryptically, walking away slowly. "It'll all be over soon."

Nami looked puzzled. Gan Fall was already leaving, but he paused to look at her. "Tell me," he asked gently. "Are you a pirate?"

She nodded. A soft smile played over his lips. "Good," he nodded approvingly. "I love to see pirates still adventuring through the world. Twenty years ago, I met a pirate who visited here. He became a good friend of mine."

He glanced towards the flying ship, his eyes fading over with better memories. "Once… this pirate told me a story," Gan Fall muttered. "A story about Devil fruits…"

Nami looked confused. Gan Fall just continued quietly. "The story goes that when the world was first formed, all of the Gods gave a gift, but put a price on it as well," he explained softly. "The Sea God gave an ocean to explore and the freedom to sail, but made it difficult so men would appreciate the adventure. The Wind God gave a gentle breeze, but provided storms to make sure that man were cautious. The Sky God gave the sun to light the way, but then supplied the night so we could all see clearer in the dark."

"But the Devil looked at everything they gave, and he decided he wanted to give something of his own to the world. So the Devil put a little bit of his power into fruits, and he spread them around the planet. However, the Devil never put a price on his invention. He just offered the power freely to whoever wanted to eat it."

There was a huge blast of lightning into the forest nearby. Gan Fall didn't appear to notice. "And so men would eat the fruits and they would become strong. And those who became strong became arrogant and superior. Those that didn't eat the fruits became resentful and oppressed. The world erupted into war as more and more people fought for the 'precious' Devil fruits, but no matter what tyrant took the power, sooner or later that power would reincarnate and the whole cycle of violence would start anew. Good men ate the fruits to try and restore balance, but all that caused was more carnage."

He turned to stare at her solemnly. "And that is why they are called Devil fruits, young miss," Gan Fall said finally. "Because, no matter who eats them, the Devil is the only one who really benefits from it."

The old man slowly started to walk away, his armour rattling with every step. Nami looked at him cautiously. "Wait… where are you going?"

He smiled humourlessly, staring at the huge orb of lightning slowly descending onto the island. "I'm going to do what I should have done years ago…" Gan Fall said quietly. "I'm going to finish this."

He stepped forward, turning to Pierre. "Now then…" He murmured under his breath. "Where is my bag?"

* * *

The trip was the most exhilarating, terrifying and painful that Luffy had ever managed. Every step felt like a goliath leap. His legs were screaming in agony by the time he broke through the White White Sea. But he did it. He made the whole journey.

Luffy was wheezing heavily as he dropped onto the ground of Upper Yard, at the western edge of the island. He collapsed from exhaustion, his legs so worn they felt like were about to fall off. Vivi grabbed a hold of him before he hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" She asked with concern, staring at the wounds covering his body. It was hard to see the actual injuries over the layer of blisters and scorched flesh.

He gulped and nodded weakly. Around him, Upper Yard was exploding into fire and lightning. "Vivi, go find the others," Luffy muttered weakly. "Make sure they're alright."

She stared at him incredulously. He had just ran a few kilometres straight upwards in mid-air, but he was still trying to go further. He was going to kill himself if he pushed any harder. "You've done enough. You can barely walk," Vivi warned. "You can't go any further."

Luffy forced a feeble smile. His eyes were focused solely on the flying ship hovering in the air next to the giant beanstalk. "I can still go just a _little_ bit more…" He gasped. His legs winced with pain, but the he kept on limping forward.

Vivi tried to protest, but he was already leaping upwards. His foot slammed against the air suddenly he was sprinting in mid-air in a blur, jumping upwards as he kept on gaining speed. His vision was blurring, but he didn't care. His friends needed him. Now more than ever.

The Arc Maxim squatted in the distance like an oversized insect. Around him, the dark clouds spewed lightning, but Luffy was dodging each bolt before it even formed. He weaved and spun through the air, each kick driving him faster until he was blur shooting across the sky.

Enel was the first to notice him. His Mantra was flaring like an alarm bell as he felt the pirate coming closer. "No…!" Enel screamed, clutching the side of the ship with trembling hands as he glared at Luffy. "You can't be here! You can't be here!"

He roared, shrieking at Luffy as if he was worst nightmare. Perhaps he was. Enel slammed his hands forward releasing huge strikes of lightning that burst through the air. Luffy couldn't even see them coming, but he still managed to dodge the attacks as he kept on charging.

Around him the lightning crackled and twisted to chase him. His breathing was slow and steady, but he could feel every last drop of adrenaline pushing through his body. The air was so hot it burnt, while the sound of thunder shook him to the core.

With the power of the Arc Maxim behind him, Enel's attacks were magnified incredibly. The god was clutching at the side of his ship, furiously channelling thunder and lightning through his body for a relentless assault.

"You have no right to be in the sky!" Enel shrieked maniacally. "No right at all! _FALL, you mortal!_"

_You first_, Luffy thought quietly, sprinting through the air as fast as a bullet while dozens of bolt of lightning chased him down. He growled as he concentrated all the willpower he had left into his right hand, glaring at Enel as his fist turned as black as ink.

He didn't have much energy left. He could feel his concentration fading as his vision blurred. He doubted he could maintain the Haki for more than a few seconds.

A few seconds would have to be enough.

Luffy was screaming madly as he charged forward. A bolt of lightning struck him, but there was nothing to stop his momentum. He shot through the air, and collided straight with the wooden hull of the Arc Maxim.

The wood crumpled like paper around his fist. Luffy just kept on going. Gears and complex mechanisms all crumbled as he forced his way through. The ship lurched, and he could hear Enel screeching madly. Dials burst and exploded, crashing through the hull and out the other side just as the flying ship started to drop to the ground.

"NO!" Enel screamed, watching as the ground seemed to accelerate upwards. "You…. You… can't…."

He glared at Luffy, concentrating as the sparks crackled around him. His whole body blazed with blue lightning. "AMARU!" Enel screamed, just as his form started to shift.

In an instant, Enel was transformed into a gigantic being of pure electricity, as large as a giant with skin that crackled with power. His body was immense and fat, while his hair burst out of his hat and shot crackled awards. He threw his hand at Luffy, just for intensely powerful bolt to stream out of his palm. Luffy dodged, but the thunderclap nearly caused him to lose his footing. He hadn't thought it was physically possible, but Enel's power just went up another notch.

"I will kill you!" Enel shrieked, his voice thunderous and inhuman. His broken teeth were jagged in his mouth. "I will burn you!"

Luffy had to run backwards just to avoid the salvo of lightning blasts, each one a stream of such pure energy that it looked like crackling fire. He was panting heavily as he twisted in the air, but the Arc Maxim was slowly starting to stabilise itself. Enel roared victoriously.

"You will die!" Enel proclaimed. "And so will _they_!"

He motioned towards the humongous Advent of Thunder, still dropping towards the ground ominously. The static and heat from the cloud of was enough to scorch the land as approached. Luffy felt his heart quicken. He couldn't let that attack hit the island.

There were seconds left.

Luffy did the only thing he could. With only the slightest hesitation, he turned around and sprinted straight into the Advent of Thunder.

Hitting the black cloud felt like running into an electric fence. The lightning crackled through his body. The heat felt like it was burning him to a crisp. It was dark, and the pressure crushed him, but Luffy's legs moved on autopilot. He just kept on running.

Hovering over the Advent of Thunder, Enel thrust his arms triumphantly. "That's right! Burn! Burn beneath God's might like all the other infidels! Burn and su–"

His eyes widened in shock as he saw a figure jump out of the ball lightning from the other side. His mouth dropped in terror as he realised what was happening. Luffy was shooting straight towards him.

And he was bringing the Advent of Thunder with him. Straight towards the Arc Maxim.

Luffy screamed and roared as the lightning crackled around him, but he didn't stop jumping through the air. Electricity would always follow the path of least resistance. Not even Enel could stop the laws of physics. Even if that path of least resistance was through a human body, the electricity would follow in that direction initially and keep on flowing until the whole static potential had been discharged.

Luffy was using his own body as a lightning rod to redirect the Advent of Thunder.

There was no time to think, no time to react. Luffy was suddenly slamming into the flying ship, just as the whole Advent of Thunder discharged in an incredible bolt of lightning that not even Enel could prevent. It was enough power to destroy an island. The Arc Maxim was built to be lightning resistant, but there was nothing that could survive _that_.

Enel could only watch in horror as he stood, unharmed on the deck, while his precious flying ship disintegrated in mid-air. He could practically hear Luffy's laughter as they both started to fall.

The lightning didn't even stop at ship. There was too much charge and too much power. The whole lightning burst outwards and, with a thunderous boom so loud it rocked the sky, it struck the giant beanstalk on the other side. The whole island tremored madly as the humongous beanstalk started to topple towards the earth.

Luffy collided with the mangled golden ruins of a giant bell. Between the force and the charge difference, the golden bell was thrown straight off the Arc Maxim, disappearing into the distance as it fell away from the island.

The tattered ruins of the Arc Maxim scattered all over Upper Yard, but the bulk of the wreck slammed as a fireball into the ground towards the centre of the island. The explosion was so intense that the shadows of the wreckage could be seen on the Blue Sea.

* * *

Casually leaning on the branches of the giant beanstalk, even as it toppled slowly towards the ground, a figure watched the explosion with an amused smirk. The man slowly adjusted his hat while the fireball burst outwards into the sky.

"Now then, Luffy…" Ace muttered with a wide grin. "… _that's_ more like it!"

He was chuckling with satisfaction even as the cloud of ash and dust splattered around Upper Yard. Gently brushing his clothes down, 'Ace' gave one last glance to the world around him, before vanishing from sight with a gentle pop.

* * *

The Ark Maxim, Enel's pride and joy, the holy vessel that would carry him to Fairy Vearth, was scattered in pieces across the island. Around him, the trees were burning madly, while the debris of the ship still clattered to the ground. He glimpsed his golden throne, a mangled mess so deformed it was hardly recognisable.

"_No_…" Enel muttered in shock, staggering around the debris. The tears poured freely down his cheeks. The grief felt suffocating. It had taken six years to build that ship. It had taken six long years, an army of slaves, and a mountain of gold. Without the Jet Dials formerly produced by his homeland of Birka, there could never be another ship like it.

Enel was trapped in the sky now. He could never reach Fairy Vearth.

He was trapped among mortals.

"_NO_!" Enel roared at the sky, feeling his body tremor in grief and fear. "_NO_!"

He almost collapsed. His life's work, his ambition, his _dream_, was currently smouldering in pieces around him.

With a pained gasp, Luffy managed to push a chunk of gold off him and crawl away for the scorching heat. His legs weren't working anymore, he had to drag himself with his hands. He honestly didn't know how he was still conscious, but some force inside of him refused to let him blackout.

He was still crawling as he felt a heavy foot crash into his back. The force was enough to crack the ground. Enel was standing on him, glaring down with absolute, berserk, insane fury.

"You…!" Enel snarled, pressing down hard with his leg. Luffy couldn't even breathe, but ended up just gasped weakly for breath. Enel's heart was pounding furiously. He wasn't going to burn Luffy anymore. This time, Enel wanted to kill him with his own two hands.

Enel reached for a chunk of golden debris, channelling electricity into his hands as he remoulded the metal. In an instant, he was holding a large golden trident, with a viciously sharp edge that he pressed against Luffy's back.

"How dare you…" Enel muttered insanely, slowly applying more pressure. The blade slowly broke through Luffy's skin, drawing a light trickle of blood. "How dare you…. How dare you… How dare you…"

The sight of Luffy's blood was an almost euphoric rush. Enel was going to take his time skewering him. Luffy was so exhausted, injured and weak that he could barely even scream. Enel grinned as he braced himself to push down further…

"That is enough." The firm voice cut through the clearing, causing Enel to look upwards with shock. "This ends here."

Slowly, Gan Fall appeared from the forest, his armour rattling as he clutched his lance tightly. Enel had been so distracted that he never even sensed the old man's approach. Gan Fall's gaze was pure steel as he glared at the god.

"This ends here," Gan Fall repeated, levelling his lance at Enel warningly. "You will not hurt anybody else."

Enel's face twisted in a sneer. "You pathetic old man. I have no time to waste on you."

From the trees, there was a worried whinny. Gan Fall didn't take his eyes off Enel. "Stay back, Pierre. This is a battle I must face alone."

The bolt of lightning shot from Enel's fingertips. The air exploded in intense light that struck Gan Fall's lance and flowed through him. The thunderclap resounded and everything hazed with heat.

Yet Gan Fall didn't move. He didn't even flinch or blink as the lightning flowed through him.

Enel's mouth dropped open in surprise. "What the –?"

On the floor, Luffy slowly pulled his head up to stare. Gan Fall glanced towards him. "Monkey D. Luffy. I wish I had more time to get to know you, but, alas, I do not." the old man said in firm voice. "I will take the fight from here, but there is one thing you must do for me. A few metres behind me there is a large backpack leaning against a tree. You must go to that bag."

He stared at the pirate with solemn, serious eyes. "Do you understand? You must look in that bag. It is vitally important. You will understand when you look inside."

Luffy didn't respond, but his eyes were confused. Enel looked between the old man and pirate in puzzlement, before raising his trident to point at Gan Fall. "I have no idea what you're doing here and I don't care!" Enel snarled. "But just die!"

The flash of power was intense. Gan Fall caught the lightning on his lance, but the power streamed straight through him. His metal lance glowed red hot and then snapped, while electricity scorched through his body. Still, Gan Fall didn't move.

After five seconds, Enel finally relented with the stream of lightning, gasping for breath. His eyes widened in amazement as he stared at the old man.

"You were right, Enel…" Gan Fall muttered quietly. "I have failed in so many of my accomplishments. Still, let's see if I can break my losing streak on one last attempt…"

Gan Fall's whole body was glowing red, so hot that air hazed. Gradually as he cooled, Enel realised that his skin was rippling, and now shiny like metal. His whole body, even his beard, took on a metallic gleam. He wasn't wearing armour anymore; he was made of armour.

"I can promise you this," Gan Fall continued solemnly. "I will stake my life on this attempt. You would do well to heed my words now…"

Nobody spoke as slowly the metal started to ripple down his arm, regenerating his broken lance as it extended back to full length. Gan Fall's skin was flowing like liquid metal, and when he took a step, he didn't rattle. He _chunked_.

Enel's eyes were filled with pure horror. "That's _Logia_…" He gasped.

"This is the power of the Metal Metal fruit!" Gan Fall announced to the stunned silence. "And this is the power that will kill you!"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Special thanks to Natsu is Awesome and bookandanimereader for Beta-ing this chapter!**

**I really enjoyed this one, I spent a long time trying to write it properly. The next ones are going to be good to. Skypiea Arc is finally winding down.**

**Truth be told, I'm not happy with the way this arc has progressed. Originally, I planned on getting the Skypiea Arc over and done by in seven chapters, max. That hasn't happened, but I kept on expanding it and I think I've messed up the intended story pace. Still, its all a learning experience, and its all going to come together quickly now.**

**Next time: Ex-God vs God! Metal vs Lightning! _'Sacrifice'_**


	20. Chapter 20: Sacrifice

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I am currently planning an underground revolution to steal ownership of One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Luffy fought Enel with every last ounce of strength he had, destroying the flying ship Arc the Maxim and severely injuring the god. Enel suffers a mental breakdown as his injuries begin to question his own perceived invincibility, just as Gan Fall, the former god of Skypiea, eats a Devil in order to challenge Enel, facing off against the Lightning man with power of the Metal Metal fruit...**_

* * *

**Chapter 20: Sacrifice**

The skies were still pitch black from the clouds of the Arc Maxim, but the flaming wreckage of the ship illuminated the scene even despite the black billowing smoke pluming all around. Between the dust and the smog it was so hard for Luffy to even breathe as he laid on the ground, gasping for air. Enel and Gan Fall stood facing each other , the tension slowly reaching breaking point.

Enel's eyes were bulging with rage and horror. "You challenge me?!" He snarled furiously, lashing his hands forward in a shower of blue sparks. His voice was crude and hoarse through a broken jaw. There was blood in his mouth. "I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

Gan Fall was already moving, jumping forward with surprising agility even as the ground depressed slightly under his weight. His skin was solid greyish silver that glinted in the sparks. The lightning cracked around but didn't seem to have any effect.

"You are no 'God'," Gan Fall growled, swinging around with his lance. "It is time somebody showed you just how fragile you really are!"

Just as he started to swing the large lance, the tip extended outwards with blinding speed, flattening into a brilliantly sharp edge that cut through the air in a flash. Enel blinked just as the blade slashed through his chest with a crackle of sparks. Around him, a dozen trees collapsed to the ground, instantly forming a large clearing. Enel's golden staff cut smoothly in half.

Enel's body was already reforming, unharmed. Gan Fall frowned and charged towards him, his fist blurring through the air. Enel reacted instantly, disappearing in a flash of sparks shooting backwards. Gan Fall's hand extended outwards into a bar of metal, redirecting Enel's dematerialised electricity body through the conductor. In an instant, two large thin metal plates shot out of Gan Fall's shoulders, forming two huge walls around the lightning. A capacitive trap.

"Do not think I haven't researched your abilities, Enel!" Gan Fall shouted, his body rippling and constantly reforming into different shapes while the electricity crackled around him. Gan Fall didn't even look human anymore; more like a huge lump of weirdly shaped iron twisting by itself. The air screamed as Enel struggled against the giant capacitor, even as it absorbed his immense voltage. "I know just to fight you!"

The electricity was being discharged and redirected through Gan Fall's abilities. The lightning just couldn't escape from the hunk of iron, so bulky that not even Enel's lightning could make a dent into it. Around him the metal continued shift and grow around him, while the capacitance discharge felt like Enel's whole body was being torn about. He did the only think he could do; he reverted to physical form.

And Gan Fall was waiting for him, his fast flashing outwards while his knuckles extended into two long, steel spikes. Enel's Mantra only barely let him dodge the attack, but the sudden expansion of Gan Fall's hand caught him off guard while the metal glanced off his shoulder. Gan Fall's fist collided with the ground with enough force it left a smooth depression in the surface.

Enel gasped in pain, but lashed out with a powerful fist that collided against Gan Fall's helmet. Enel's strength was monstrous, and a noise rang out like a hammer striking a bell. The force took Gan Fall to the ground, but Enel screamed in hurt as the impact reverberated up his arm. His knuckles left a gouge through Gan Fall's head, but the old man's gaze was cold as the metal rippled around his body, reforming his broken skull as good as a new.

The god could only stare in shock, eyes bulging, before he transformed into lightning and discharged through the earth, escaping Gan Fall's iron capacitor. Gan Fall glared in annoyance, while around him the bulky metal structure started to deform, almost as if were melting, transforming into a puddle of liquid metal that was absorbed through Gan Fall's feet.

"You… you…" Enel panted, glaring at the old man angrily, as he clutched his shoulder. His face was so bruised and beaten he didn't look human; more like a swollen monster dripping blood. "…You…!"

"Make no mistake," Gan Fall muttered. "There is a hierarchy among Logias. However, the Rumble Rumble fruit and the Metal Metal fruit are both _equals_."

Enel's eyes were maniacal. He seemed to be having trouble breathing. "That must be a scary thought for you, isn't it?" Gan Fall continued with an uncharacteristically cruel smile. "An _equal_."

"I have no equal!" Enel roared, the air cracking in power. "I am _supreme_!"

Gan Fall didn't flinch. "Then why are bleeding so badly?" He asked quietly, with a smirk that caused Enel's chest to squirm.

Enel's hands were trembling, and it was more than just pain or anger. The 'God's' whole self-image was being decimated. His conceited believes, his self-righteous morals, and every layer of arrogance that he had built up over the years, was being torn apart. His entire world was crumbling around him. It was an agony worse than any pain he had ever felt before.

"You are no equal of mine," Enel snarled. "You are a senile old fool. You will not defeat me! You have failed in everything you have ever accomplished! You are pathetic!"

Gan Fall nodded. "All true," he said simply. "But with each failure I have learnt a lesson. With each defeat I have grown wiser, and stronger. Compared to you, well, you have never learnt a thing in your life. That is why you cannot win here; I will _ensure_ that you are defeated."

He smiled softly. "Come," Gan Fall muttered, dropping into an experienced pose. "I may be senile, but let us see if I can still take you to _school_!"

The thunder cracked through the air with the force of bomb. Gan Fall grunted and slammed his hand forward, just as iron barricade with a conical edge emerged in front of him. The ground shook from the impact, but Gan Fall was already moving. With a fluid jab, the barricade shot through the air towards Enel, gouging through the ground in a shower of dust.

Enel dodged in a flash of light, spinning around Gan Fall with blinding speed as he shot lightning from every direction. Gan Fall took the attacks easily, his metal body glowing with heat. Enel's face twisted in fury.

Suddenly, Enel turned to stare at Luffy, lying in a barely conscious heap on the ground. A bolt of lightning shot towards the pirate with fury. Gan Fall had already pre-empted the attack.

"I will not allow you to hurt anyone else," he shouted firmly. "_Forge_!"

A circular dome of solid steel materialised around Luffy's body, covering him in an instant. The pirate could only blink as every went black, but the lightning was absorbed easily by the protective shell.

"You do not have the power stop me!" Enel screamed, charging a more powerful blast from his fingertips. The air crackled intensely, and the thunder roared.

Gan Fall stepped in front of Luffy, absorbing the blast. His body winced as the metal exploded from heat, but reformed instantly. "On the contrary, I'm the only one with power to stop you," he muttered. "_Magnesium_!"

Instantly, several fine ribbons of grey metal threaded from Gan Fall's fingertips, spinning through the air towards Enel. With a blinding flash, the magnesium exploded in a flare of brilliant light. Gan Fall was already launching a spinning steel disk through the air.

The smoke covered everything. Enel could still phase through the attack easily via Mantra. "Was that supposed to blind me?" He muttered dismissively as the spinning disk phased harmlessly through his skull.

"No," Gan Fall said, while around them the ground started to crack. "It was supposed to distract you!"

Two metal cables burst out of the ground, instantly threading into a metal net around Enel. Gan Fall's hands weaved like an architect forging his creation out of air. "You cannot sense actions that aren't specifically intended to hurt you," he grumbled while the metal net formed a large sphere around his opponent. Enel's eyes widened in alarm.

Around him, the metal Faraday cage took form. Enel's lightning burst violently against its restraints as the air exploded. The lightning howled like a caged beast, while chunks of molten metal crashed through the air. Gan Fall grunted in exertion, but he reformed the cage even as the cables exploded from the heat and power. Gan Fall was already charging forward, remoulding his lance into a blade with spinning spikes.

Enel screamed as he lashed out with an arc of lightning to meet him. The sparks burned brighter than the sun as lightning and metal collided. The ground rumbled as the concentrated thunder shook the earth.

* * *

Wiper grunted with pain as he limped down the gentle hill, using the remains of the God-Slayer as a walking stick. His muscles trembled and his bones felt like they were about to collapse, but nevertheless he staggered towards the group standing on the scorched ground. Nearby, the motionless body of the giant python littered the earth.

"Wiper!" Laki shouted suddenly, noticing the chief approach. The Shandorian raiders all turned to stare; they were all injured, but alive. Wiper felt his heart cartwheel with sudden relief.

Instantly, a small shape launched itself around his lower torso. Wiper groaned in agony as Aisa wrapped her arms around him, so tightly he nearly toppled.

"You're alive!" Aisa screamed, the tears flowing down her cheeks. "Thank the ancestors…!"

Wiper blinked. "Couldn't you hear me?" He asked, with strange gentleness.

Approaching him slowly, Laki shook her head. "Aisa has been overloaded with voices recently," she explained quietly, before wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I'm glad you're ok…" She whispered.

'Ok' was an overstatement. Wiper was on the verge of death. He had more shattered bones that he count; and it hurt so badly that his head spun. He couldn't move his right shoulder at all, while the rest of his body screamed with every jerk. The berserker normally avoided skin contact, but now he just didn't have the strength to protest the hug.

Wiper looked around, to see the Blue Sea pirates standing with the raiders. He gulped as he noticed the swordsman he had fought being cradled over one of their shoulders, but there was absolutely no will to fight left. None of the Shandorians seemed to object to the presence of the 'trespassers' on their homeland.

Robin stood close to Aisa almost protectively, while keeping a close eye on her as she stared into the distance. Wiper glared around the pirates, but no one was paying him much attention.

"…Enel…" Wiper gasped. "Where is he?"

Nami was the one who responded. The navigator slowly raised her hand to point into the distance, towards the centre of the island, where a blinding light show burst over the trees. Wiper took a deep breath as he stared.

"Who's he fighting?" The berserker asked quietly.

"The old man, I think. Gan Fall," Nami replied simply. "I saw him eat this silver Devil fruit to match Enel's powers. I think Luffy is over there too."

"Luffy." Wiper muttered the word curiously. The sight flashed "You mean that flying kid who took down Enel's ship?"

"I still can't believe he can _fly_," Usopp muttered excitedly, bouncing up and down in his toad form. "I mean, how cool is _that_?"

He looked around with an eager smile. The rest of the ground stared at him until he settled down.

Wiper took a deep, wheezy breath. "We have to face him," he snarled weakly, staggering forward. "We have to finish Enel…"

Laki stared at him in shock. Braham looked alarmed. The old chief moved forward, slamming his hand outwards to stop Wiper. "_No_," the old man ordered firmly.

Wiper's face contorted in rage, but he was feeble that a gentle push nearly toppled him to the ground. "Out of the way…"

"Gan Fall is Logia now. Their battle is beyond anything that we could take part in," The old chief said simply. "If we interfere, we will only die needlessly or get in the way. We will stay out of the battle, lick our wounds, and prepare for the next fight."

"Move, old man!" Wiper grunted, shambling forwards. "I will _kill_ that monster!"

A flash of rage passed through the old chief's face. The rest of the group was staring at the confrontation, but staying quiet. "What is more important?!" The old man demanded furiously. "The lives of your friends or your quest for revenge? That is the decision you must make now!"

There were tears pouring down Wiper's bloody face. "He destroyed the light of Shandora!" He screeched.

"Shandora is more than just a _bell_!" The old chief shouted, pushing Wiper angrily to the ground. "It is a country! It is a belief! We will carry the light and the spirits of the ancestors inside of us, but we cannot afford to throw everything away!"

Wiper was a wreck. A bloody mess of torn skin and broken bones still screaming madly at the sky. Aisa watched him with wide eyes.

"Wiper…" She muttered quietly, clutching onto Robin tightly. Laki glanced curiously at the girl's unusual affection for the older woman, but didn't speak. No one said a word. From the distance, the thunder caused the ground to tremor.

Suddenly, a faint sound became louder, cutting through the tension. It was the sound of whistling – a jolly, upbeat song echoing through the air. Everyone looked around in shock, before slowly turning to stay at the unconscious python. Vivi's face paled of all colour.

"No…" She gasped. "Not _him_…"

The python's jaw twitched as a figure staggered out. He was covered in blood and slime, but still completely recognisable. Marcus grinned as he stared at the scorched earth and black skies.

"Well, _that_ was unpleasant," Marcus exclaimed, rubbing his head. His skin was blistered and scorched underneath the grime. His eyes was still vividly intense though; an insanely bright blue. "It looks like I've missed the party!"

"Run!" Nami ordered loudly, bringing her sword forward. The cloud sword was still new and foreign to her, but she was quickly learning the basics. "Everyone who can't fight has to run!"

"As if I'd let you get away," Marcus said with a maniacal smile, strolling forward. "I came here to kill everyone, and, well, you're everyone!"

The Shandorians were looking confused, but most of the raiders were already readying their weapons. The group formed a large semicircle around Marcus, who just kept on walking straight ahead. The air was shimmering.

"Who is this man?" The old chief demanded, while Wiper groaned trying to pull himself up.

"A very bad man," Vivi replied quietly, summoning a small sandstorm in her hands. Next to her, Conis glanced around at the confrontation in shock, hiding behind the princess. The angel was a nervous, shivering shell. Coming face to face with Enel had terrified her to the bone.

"Ah, you're so sweet, beautiful," Marcus replied cheerfully, glancing around the raiders surrounding him nonchalantly.

"It's over!" Usopp croaked loudly, reading his huge body to jump. "Your two partners are dead."

Marcus just snorted. "Like I care. So long as _I'm_ alive, it's never over." He glanced at Usopp curiously, examining the giant toad. "Say, that's Cane Toad model, right? Ha, I remember the killing the previous owner of that fruit. I pulled off his _legs_ and beat him to death as he tried to crawl away. It was _fun_."

Usopp's face turned a sickly yellow, but strangely he didn't back down. Instead, Usopp screamed as he leapt into the air, crashing down upon Marcus in a huge toad belly flop. The Devil fruit hunter moved with blurring speed, slamming his hand into Usopp with a flash of red light. The toad croaked in pain as he rolled across the ground limply.

"Who's next?!" Marcus laughed loudly, as the air burst into demonic red glow.

The raiders opened fire and charged. Marcus never even appeared to pay them much attention as he cut through the group in a wave of backhanded strikes. The cloak of red light covered him like armour, absorbing any attacks that came near. Braham unloaded a stream of blinding bullets, but Marcus was laughing even as he grabbed his wrist and slammed him to the ground. Genbo roared as he fired his cannon, but the cannonball exploded before it even got close, flinging iron fragments everywhere.

Sanji was there in an instant, growling as he launched a barrage of ferocious kicks. Even as the blows collided, Sanji's shoes ripped apart and his trousers tore into piece. The chef screamed in pain, just as Marcus sent him flying with a casual punch.

"Come on!" Marcus roared, glaring around the group. Both Vivi and Nami struck out with a blade of sand and a lance of iron cloud, but neither did any damage. "Give me a _real_ fight!"

Wiper staggered to his feet in agony. Marcus' gaze turned predatory as he settled upon the wounded berserker. "I remember you!" He exclaimed happily. "The tough guy, right?"

He moved towards Wiper viciously. Wiper could barely stand. Genbo and Laki tried to block Marcus, but neither of them stood a chance. Wiper roared in fury as they both dropped to the ground, just before Marcus' glowing red hand extended towards him. Wiper couldn't run, or even fight. He was left staring helplessly as that maniacal grin approached.

For one terrifying second, Wiper's whole life flashed before his eyes. It was short, bloody, and violent.

And then a shape jumped in front of them. The old chief's gaze was firm as he pushed Wiper out of the way, and shoulder barged Marcus firmly, jabbing up with his long sword. As soon as the old chief got anywhere close to the Devil fruit hunter, his robes were shredded and cuts appeared across his skin, but the old man never even hesitate as he struck out with the blade. For half a second, Marcus looked annoyed, but then the sword shattered and Marcus' hand wrapped around the old chief's throat.

"Chief!" Wiper screamed in shock and fury.

"Leave him alone!" Vivi shouted defiantly, glancing around the group. In a matter of seconds, Marcus had cut through them all. They were all injured and tired, except for Marcus, who didn't appear to know the meaning of the words.

"He doesn't have a Devil fruit!" Nami protested, while Marcus tightened his grip on the old man's throat. The old chief grunted in pain, his eyes wide and fearful. "He's meaningless to you!"

"Devil fruit?" Marcus snorted dismissively, while the red aura intensified. "This was never about the Devil fruits. Not really. I never gave a fuck about the Devil fruits or about the whole 'business'. _That_ was all Isaac and Berrit."

The old chief's face was bulging red, but he didn't scream. "I'm a simple man," Marcus continued conversationally, the insane smile returning to his face. "I just like killing people. I _love it_. And Devil fruit hunting is one of the few jobs where you can legally do it professionally for lots of money."

His hand tightened. There was a snap of bone. The old chief turned limp. Wiper screamed like an animal. Marcus' eyes gleamed.

"_Goddamn_ I love my job," he said happily, letting the dead man's body drop to the ground while he raised his hands. "Come on! I'll butcher the whole lot of you!"

Wiper tried to tackle the man to the ground, but Marcus knocked him down with an absentminded swipe. Marcus was already focusing on Vivi and Nami with a psychotic grin. Around him, the raiders were still moaning on the ground. "It your turn now, beautiful," Marcus exclaimed cheerfully.

Chopper hesitated, but Nami ordered him to get the wounded to safety and the doctor ran away. Aisa was screaming while Laki collapsed on to the ground, but then Robin grabbed the girl and rushed her to safety. Both Nami and Vivi struck out together with a coordinate attack of sand and cloud, but Marcus just kept on walking through it casually. He was whistling again.

A flash of fear flashed between Nami and Vivi and they ran in opposite directions, attacking Marcus from both sides. Vivi lashed out with a flurry of sand, while Nami whipped the iron cloud blade around in series of attacks that smashed against Marcus' shield.

Conis didn't move. The angel was too shaken to even twitch as Marcus walked straight up her. Vivi screamed at her to run. Marcus just looked at her curiously.

"So many beautiful girls…" The madman muttered wistfully, before swinging his fist at Conis' head. She didn't even flinch, but her eyes were bulging and her body was trembling.

"Come on!" Marcus roared as his shimmering knuckles barrelled towards Conis. "Isn't there anyone left who can put up a proper figh–"

The explosion took them all off-guard. One second Marcus was ready to splatter Conis' brains across the ground, and then the next a torrent of flame struck him from behind. The shockwave caused him to stumble to the ground. All eyes turned the new figure, walking quickly across the ground.

Marcus' eyes were vicious as he turned to glare at the man walking behind him. Pagaya's face was as impassive as ever, but he was clutching his smoking bazooka tightly. Conis gasped at suddenly seeing her father woke towards him.

"I'm terribly sorry," Pagaya said apologetically, readying his bazooka for another shot. "But there's still _me_."

Marcus glared at him with confusion more than pain. Average height, fluffy beard, bald hair, narrow shoulders and a plump physique; Pagaya looked the very image of non-threatening. Except for the bazooka, of course…

"Who the hell are you?" Marcus demanded.

"Excuse me, but I'm a father and a Dial mechanic. And I will be your opponent," Pagaya announced loudly, levelling his bazooka again. Conis couldn't believe her eyes; her whole body trembling at the sight. Pagaya looked around, like a man suddenly guilty for intruding. "Unless anyone has any objections, of course."

As one, raiders and pirates alike felt their bottom jaws drop open in shock.

* * *

"Die!" Enel screamed launching out with blasts of power. The man was everywhere; shooting across the sky with blinding speed. "Die! Die! Die!"

Gan Fall didn't stop. His legs just kept on pounding forward, his body ripplng as he constantly forged and transformed metal structures. Enel was all lightning, chaos and rage. Gan Fall was as determined and as relentless as cold steel.

Enel flickered through the air, avoiding a stream of cables. "You can't match my speed, old man!" He roared, transforming into a bolt of lightning. Attacks streamed towards Gan Fall from all sides.

Gan Fall took them all; his skin glowed red hot, but he recovered quickly. "And you can't match my defence!" He replied, throwing his arms forward as metal rods twisted into the sky. "Let us see who can last the longest!"

The metal was morphing, rippling and twisting constantly into new shapes. Iron and steel structures folded outwards into more and more complex shapes, while wires shot everywhere trying to restrain the lightning that thrashed through the sky. All Gan Fall needed was to restrain Enel long enough to get one good blow in…

Lightning raged like gigantic beast thrashing against its bonds. The cables whipped through the air like a cage wrestling a monster the ground. Shards of molten metal crashed through the forest. The thunder was so powerful it split through solid steel, while the air crackled with lightning so intense that it illuminated the sky.

Neither Gan Fall nor Enel were in human forms anymore. Enel was a lightning bolt flickering everywhere, while Gan Fall was a hunk of iron, twisting to try and catch it. Both of them were reforming their physical bodies constantly.

"This must be taking its toll on you, hmm?" Gan Fall muttered, with gasping breath. "You've been using you're powers a lot. I wonder how much charge you have left."

"You are weak! _Weak!_" Enel roared, eyes bulging. It was hard to tell, but he was panting for breath as well. "I have the strength of God! I will destroy everything! I will kill everyone!"

The lightning shot straight towards Gan Fall, more furious than ever. Gan Fall glared at lashed his arms out. "_Copper_!"

His skin turned dull red brown as the cables weaved out of his body and dug into the earth. The lightning struck him, only for power to be dissipated straight into the earth. The copper kept on pulsing through the air, transforming into a giant coil of wire next to Gan Fall. The old man gasped from the effort, but kept on fighting as he drew more and more lightning into himself.

Enel growled while the coil absorbed his power like a parasite. The air hissed from the energy streaming along the copper wires. He screamed, pumping out more and more voltage through pure force of will. The air shone brightly.

Gan Fall shouted in shock as the metal overheated and exploded in a flash of light that sent fragments everywhere. The old man staggered upwards just as Enel charged forward, a blazing hand jabbing towards him. Gan Fall couldn't even react as Enel's hand pierced straight through his metal body, and he felt the pain as the charge caused metal to crack.

"I can hurt you too, old man!" Enel roared victoriously, as the heat remoulded metal and Enel lashed out with more voltage. "I am stronger!"

It felt like a stab through the chest. It was enough to make Gan Fall want to collapse, but somehow he kept on going. His arm transformed into a lance of steel, only to collide against a blade of lightning. The sparks flew everywhere.

"Fool…" Gan Fall growled. "You have no idea what _true_ strength is!"

* * *

Everything was dark, but there was a persistent ringing around him. Luffy groaned as his eyes flickered open. It took a long time for him to gather the strength to pull himself up. He groaned with agony as he pushed the metal dome covering him away.

There was a pink, polka-dotted horse with wings standing above him. Luffy never had the strength to be shocked. Pierre neighed loudly for Luffy to move, before biting him and nudging him with his snout until he did.

"Ow…" Luffy muttered weakly. "Quit it…"

Around him, there was fire, smoke and thunder thrashing through the air. Luffy was so weak he could barely stand up, even with Pierre almost pulling him off the ground with his teeth. The Pegasus was prancing around in panic, wings flapping urgently trying to get Luffy to move.

"What is it…?" He slurred, recognising the urgency despite a spinning head. His breathing was wheezy, but his mind fought for the very last scraps of strength he had left.

Slowly, he managed stagger upwards, only to collapse across the horse creature's shoulders. The Pegasus whinnied with frustration, before dragging Luffy's limp across the ground, his arms clutching weakly around the horse's neck.

The sound of thunder was everywhere, so furious the ground was vibrating. Luffy's eyes flickered open to see red sparks and blue lightning clashing over the trees, but Pierre dragged him further into the forest. After a few minutes of numb pain, Luffy finally focused enough to stare the large black rucksack lying on the ground. Pierre whinnied desperately.

Words echoed around Luffy's head. _Do you understand? You must look in that bag. It is vitally important. You will understand when you look inside_…

Luffy grunted and slowly extended his hand, his trembling fingers clumsy trying to clutch the zip. When he finally managed to pull the zip upwards, the whole backpack toppled and spilled its contents out of the floor.

Luffy blinked. It took a long time for him to process what he was seeing, but there were soft, purple objects littering the ground. The back had been filled to the brim with fruit; some of it squashed, but most of it still fresh.

"Grapes?" Luffy mumbled, kicking a fruit with his toe feebly. His body was weak but he could breathe and focus better now. "What am I meant to do with this?"

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Marcus roared with laughter as he stared at Pagaya. "Is this place so desperate for soldiers so they have to send _schoolteachers_ at me now?"

"Mechanic, actually," Pagaya corrected helpfully. Marcus didn't pay him any attention.

"Pathetic," Marcus said dismissively, turning his back and returning to Conis. She was staring between Marcus and Pagaya with wide, fearful eyes. "I'd rather kill _this_ pretty little bird than waste time with yo–"

The impact struck him squarely in the back. Even if Marcus' shield absorbed the force, the heat still caused Devil fruit hunter to wince. "It's rude to turn your back on people," Pagaya murmured quietly, reloading his bazooka.

Marcus glared. Pagaya's passive politeness was getting to him now. "You really do not want to want to make me angry," the Devil fruit hunter growled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Pagaya said apologetically, pulling something out of his pocket and throwing it at Marcus casually. "Catch."

Marcus' hands moved instinctively, snatching the object out of the air. He barely had time to recognise it as a small shell-like object, but Conis recognised it instantly. It was an Axe Dial.

And as soon as the Axe Dial hit Marcus' shimmering aura, the shell fractured. The air cracked as all the energy stored in Dial released instantly, erupting in crisscrossing blades of slashing air that exploded in Marcus' hand. The Dial was too close to shred the force completely as it cut in a long slash into Marcus' hand, shoulder, and arm. The blood splattered across the ground.

"Bastard!" Marcus growled, staring at the wound with more annoyance than pain. Marcus just didn't feel pain like normal people did. The blood red glowing aura grew so intense that the ground started to crack.

Pagaya was already charging towards the Devil fruit hunter with a determined pace. "Please move away from here, Conis," he said simply, pulling the bazooka around to blast it straight into Marcus' face. The flames gushed everywhere.

"Father…" Conis gasped breathlessly, while Marcus tackled straight into Pagaya. Her father kept his distance, his eyes calm and calculating even as he sidestepped blow after vicious blow. Her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

Nami rushed over and half-pulled, half-dragged Conis off the ground. Pagaya was still dancing around Marcus, carefully keeping his distance. He didn't move quickly or suddenly, but every dodge was collected and precise.

"Come on!" Marcus roared, slamming his fist towards him in lightning speed. "_Fight me_!"

Pagaya lifted his bazooka to counter, yet he was too slow. Marcus' hands wrapped around the nozzle and tore the weapon out of his grip with ease. Marcus grinned evilly, his fingers crunching from the metal bazooka.

"What are you going to do without this –" Marcus mocked, but Pagaya was already diving to the ground and covering his head. Marcus barely had time to look confused before the bazooka exploded in a huge fireball of debris.

Around him, everyone stared in awe. The Shandorians were still littering the ground, struggling to pull themselves up, while Usopp was unconscious and Sanji was limping. Nami stared at Pagaya in shock, while Conis huddled together with Vivi.

_He did that on purpose_, Conis realised slowly. Pagaya must have triggered his own weapon to self-destruct and then let Marcus snatch it out of his hands. _Is that… is that really my father?_

Pagaya stared at the fireball curiously as he pulled himself backwards, leading the fight away from his daughter. "I'm sorry," Pagaya said humbly. "But that bazooka proved fairly ineffective."

The fire cleared slowly. Marcus was still standing, but his skin was scorched. He barely had any clothes left. A chunk of his hair had been scolded off, while there were fragments of metal embedded in his chest. Still, he looked more angry than injured. "You bastard!" Marcus screamed, as the glowing burnt brighter than ever.

Pagaya didn't look surprised, angry, or even remotely distressed. He just nodded as he slowly unbuttoned his yellow, blood-stained shirt. Underneath, he was a wearing a thick vest covered in Dials of all shapes and sizes.

Marcus charged with blinding speed. Pagaya was already dodging with experienced grace. Marcus' fist brushed passed Pagaya, coming so close the red aura ruffled his beard.

"Excuse me, but your fighting style is very easy to predict," he said calmly, snatching a Dial from his vest and holding it up in front of Marcus' face. Pagaya placed his hand over his eyes just before he pressed shell of the Dial.

The light was blinding and instant. A Flash Dial, Conis realised, yet Marcus was caught off guard. He screamed blindly and lashed out madly, but Pagaya almost casually walked up next to him and held another Dial up to the side of his head. The cracked as Impact Dial sent a pressurised air shockwave into Marcus. Marcus roared and launched himself at him, but Pagaya simply sidestepped and extended his foot.

Marcus tripped and crashed into the ground with enough force to shred the earth into a cloud of dust, yet Pagaya was already walking behind and pressing the Impact Dial to the back of his skull. The air cracked, and not even Marcus could absorb the blast when it was that close.

Conis watched in absolute amazement. Her heart was beating in her chest furiously, but at the same time her father looked so relaxed and composed. She had seen Pagaya become flustered just looking for his Waver keys, but now he was fighting for his life and he was doing so well he made it look easy.

_That's a modified Impact Dial_, Conis realised, staring at the shell Pagaya was holding. She had seen her father modify plenty of Dials before to get more speed out of a Waver, but she had no imagined it could be used like this. _An impact Dial modified for a narrower, more concentrated blast and less recoil_…

Around her, Wiper stared at Pagaya in shock, even as he was slowly dragged off the ground by Braham. Everyone around him kept the distance but watched the fight in intense astonishment. Somehow, Pagaya didn't look like he needed any help at all.

Pagaya's wrists were bleeding slightly, and his clothes were torn around the edges, but not badly at all. Even getting close to Marcus meant taking some damage, but with short, sudden attacks you could minimise the risk. Marcus' power to shred any energy that would otherwise hurt him was more troublesome, and meant that he had to get up close and personal for his Dials to have an effect.

"I'm going to kill you," Marcus growled angrily, pushing himself of the ground. The mud just made another layer over his already beaten body. "I'm going to rip your _fucking head off_."

Pagaya nodded, but his eyes were analysing his opponent coolly. Marcus looked furious, but Pagaya noted the way his eyes flickered uncertainly. After two close range Impact Dials, Marcus' head must be spinning. He was disorientated, and furious.

The angrier an opponent became, the more predictable their attacks were. An angry and disorientated enemy was a very easy enemy, so long as you attacked in the right way.

Marcus charged, faster and more powerful with an uppercut that caused the air to crack. It would have took Pagaya's head clean off if it landed, but the mechanic was dodging backwards. Marcus roared, lashing out with furious blows that Pagaya refused to even get close to.

"_COME ON!_" Marcus screamed. "_HIT ME! Fight me properly!_"

The Dial mechanic just snorted. "_No_."

He dropped two Dials onto the ground that instantly started to billow smoke. In seconds, a thick smoke screen covered the area. Marcus paused. His face was bright red with rage and veins were throbbing in his forehead, but for the first time there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He couldn't see a thing through the smog.

"Excuse me, but might I convince you to surrender?"

Pagaya's voice rang from the smoke, and it was nearby. Marcus didn't even hesitate. He just turned in the direction of the sound, slamming both hands forward as the air shone bright red. The shockwave burst from his knuckles, so powerful it ripped straight through the smoke. Marcus grinned in satisfaction, before suddenly realising that there was absolutely no one there.

"I'm sorry, that was a Tone Dial," Pagaya said simply, stepping out of the smoke from the opposite direction. There was no time to react as suddenly he pressed two Dials against Marcus' back and pulled the trigger.

The Axe Dials released with a splatter of blood. The crisscrossing blades of air cut into Marcus' back, sending the man collapsing to the ground with deep, distinctive wounds cut into the flesh.

"I see," Pagaya said quietly. "Your power allows you to destroy things. You use it passively to create an aura around you that no one can approach without getting hurt, and to absorb any attacks that come your way. You also use it to magnify your own attacks."

Marcus was spitting blood as he pulled himself up. "However…" Pagaya continued, adjusting his Dials as he talked. "Your power works in waves that are constantly being emitted from your body. If you attack in one direction, you also become completely vulnerable from the opposite direction. You cannot attack and defend completely at the same time. That is why my previous attack hit you when you were defenceless."

The Devil fruit hunter looked beyond furious as he staggered upwards, wincing from the pain in his back. It had been a long time since any physical attack had caught so deeply. Pagaya just looked at him innocently. "I'm sorry, did I miss anything out?"

Marcus wasn't laughing anymore. His gaze was psychotically cold. "I'm going to kill you," He growled under his breath, murderously. "I'm going kill you. I'm going to rip out your spine. No. One. _Messes_. With. _Me_!"

The smoke was clearing quickly. Conis gasped in shock as Marcus launched out with a ferocious series of strikes that caught through the air. Pagaya dodged most of them, but had to block one with the Axe Dial. It wasn't clean, and he still ended up taking a blow that cut through his arm. Marcus roared in bloodlust as Pagaya's blood splattered against the ground.

"I will destroy you!" He screamed, lashing out again and again in shockwaves of blood-red air. Even as Pagaya was caught off-guard and nearly stumbled backwards, his face remained completely impassive. Marcus shouted triumphantly stepping forward and thrusting outwards with a shredding shockwave.

There was a sudden explosion. Marcus just took a step and instantly a plume of fire exploded upwards from the earth. Marcus screamed in visceral agony as the flames scorched his body, before the glowing aura returned to him and extinguished the fire.

"Excuse me, I must have dropped a Flame Dial there," Pagaya said quietly, motioning to the hidden mine. "But appears you become vulnerable from below when you attack forward as well."

Marcus was gasping heavily now, struggling to stand straight. His body was suffering third degree burns that left him looking barely human. Still, Marcus was a beast, and Pagaya was rapidly going through his available Dials.

Conis stared at her father with unblinking eyes. He wasn't strong or fast, but somehow he was dominating the whole fight so badly it looked mildly unfair. Pagaya didn't even appear to be sweating.

"Is that really your father?" Vivi whispered breathlessly. Luffy had fought himself to the bone trying to beat Marcus, yet Pagaya was just one step ahead of him the whole time, while apologising profusely.

_This is Dial Warfare on a level I've never even imagined_, Conis realised in shock. _There's no brute strength or even speed involved, just preparation and experience._

It was a sudden thrill to realise that her father, the clumsy man that was constantly getting lost, might actually be one of the greatest Dial masters in the sky.

Marcus charged again, but Pagaya dodged and spun around him, striking at the most vulnerable areas with precise, pressurised blows from the Impact Dial. Marcus lashed out with attacks, yet Pagaya just unleashed so many different Dials that the man couldn't keep up. Pagaya struck downwards, slashing at the back of Marcus' heels with an Axe Dial until the Devil fruit hunter was limping. Marcus relied on brute strength and his power; and Pagaya just calmly took advantage of that weakness.

Suddenly, the memory of Conis facing against Yama shot into her head. She had done the exact same thing…

"Yes…." Conis whispered quietly, feeling her heart flutter. "That's my father…"

"I will kill you! I will kill you!" Marcus was screaming that like a chant, despite the injuries that were taking their toll. He was angry and disorientated and making more mistakes, while Pagaya attacked with the same impassive precision. Ironically, Pagaya was proving himself to be the ruthless one. "_I will kill you_."

"How rude," Pagaya muttered, holding out another Dial. Marcus must have mistaken it for a Flash Dial and he closed his eyes quickly, only for Pagaya to jam forward and press it close to his forehead. The aura cut at his arm, but then Pagaya released the Axe Dial and the air cut straight across Marcus' forehead.

The precise but shallow wound was weeping blood, blocking Marcus' vision as he thrashed wildly. Pagaya pulled an Impact Dial out and threw it at Marcus' feet, causing it to explode like a grenade. The shockwave sent Marcus tumbling to the ground, while Pagaya dived in for another attack.

He was half a second too slow. Pagaya never had time to react as Marcus' hand wrapped around his right ankle. With a sickening crack, bone cracked and Pagaya toppled to the ground.

"Father!" Conis screamed in shock, rushing towards him.

"Stay back!" Pagaya shouted, his voice uncharacteristically firm. Conis hesitated.

Marcus's eyes were vicious as he grabbed Pagaya's arms so he couldn't accept. Pagaya tried to force his Axe Dial in his hand towards Marcus, but Marcus grabbed his wrist and forced the Dial inwards into the air. Pagaya winced as the blood-red aura started to cut through his body.

"Oh, I've got you!" Marcus spat, his face so bloody, burnt and bruised that he barely looked human. "Not so clever now, huh?"

Vivi gasped in shock, trying to rush forward, but Marcus was holding Pagaya like a shield. Nami glared at him, mind racing but unable to help. The sudden dread hit Conis' so hard that she nearly fell to the ground, breathing wheezily as she watched the psycho grab ahold of her father. Pagaya struggled not to scream in agony.

"You _really_ pissed me off, you know?" Marcus snarled, clutching Pagaya's arms tighter. "Congratulations, because I get a little bit _vicious_ when I'm pissed off! I'm going to enjoy this!"

The Dial mechanic thrashed, but Marcus' grip was stronger than iron. Marcus' grin returned, as he slowly glanced at Conis, tears rolling down her cheeks. Everybody was completely quiet. No one dared to even breathe.

"Is that your daughter?" Marcus asked in a quiet voice that sent shivers down Pagaya's spine. Marcus's grin widened. "She's a pretty little bird. Personally, I was saving myself for beautiful over there, but your daughter is cute too."

His voice became venomous. Pagaya wasn't screaming anymore. "You know what I'm going to do?" Marcus whispered. "After I kill you, I'm going to go for your daughter. I'm going to _rape_ her," he said with a sickening smile. Conis glared at him in horror. "I'm going to force her on to the ground, and I'm going to rape her with your blood still splattered over my body. And then when I'm done, _after_ I've mutilated her so badly that she's barely human anymore, _then_ I'm going to crush her skull in my hands."

Pagaya was screaming in pain. The agony was still there, but he was barely even trembling. He was glaring at Marcus with a gaze that suddenly did not look so apologetic. It was a look that seemed so foreign on her father's face.

It was a look of absolute, pure ice-cold rage.

Marcus just grinned even wider. "She's going to die a horrible, _horrible_ death," he continued gleefully. "And it'll all be your fault because _you pissed me off_."

There was a silence. The air became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Vivi stared at Marcus in utter horror, but the monster just grinned. Pagaya was deathly silent.

There was no warning for what happened next. One second, Marcus was holding Pagaya's arms straight upwards into the air, the Axe Dial pointing useless upwards, and then the next Pagaya just quietly let go of the Axe Dial and it dropped from his hands. Marcus' eyes widened in shock as the Axe Dial fell between them, but then Pagaya's right leg kicked upwards. His foot collided against the Axe Dial as he slammed the Dial upwards to Marcus.

Straight into the Devil fruit hunter's crotch.

Marcus screamed. It wasn't a maniacal scream, but more like a high-pitched, shrill cry of absolute horror and pain. The Axe Dial exploded between his groin and Pagaya's foot and there was absolutely no way he could stop an attack _that_ close and personal. The blades of razor sharp air cut straight through flesh as the blood splattered everywhere. Marcus' scream was so loud it split through the air.

Pagaya staggered backwards, limping on his broken ankle but he didn't pause he instantly snatched a Dial off his chest and threw it straight into Marcus' open mouth. The Breath Dial cracked, and started to release flammable fumes.

Pagaya didn't even apologise as he clutched triggered a Flame Dial, igniting a huge fireball that exploded from the inside of Marcus' mouth. The impact sent the Devil hunter crashing backwards.

"Father!" Conis screamed rushing over to catch Pagaya as he crashed onto the ground. The man was bleeding heavily with broken bones.

No one moved or even breathed. They were all watching fight with hearts beating furiously. Marcus was lying on his back on the ground; his head smoking while the blood poured from his body.

Pagaya groaned as he pulled himself up weakly. Conis was there hugging him tighter than ever. Pagaya stared at the limp body of Marcus with deep breaths.

"Get back…" Pagaya muttered weakly, staggering up to his knees while cradling his broken ankle.

Conis stared at him. "What?"

"Please get back," Pagaya mumbling, gulping heavily. "It's not safe for you."

She heard the sound of movement behind her before she even turned. Conis' blood ran cold. Her eyes were wide as she watched Marcus slowly stagger upwards.

"…No…" She gasped, while Pagaya carefully pushed her behind. _How he is still alive!?_

Marcus was an absolute monster. There was no other word more fitting. His eyes were pure insanity as he glared Pagaya with frightening rage. His face was burnt and scolded and one side of his cheek had been blown off, revealing his jaw muscles and teeth that twisted his face into atrocious grin.

He screamed in pure rage, while around him the blood red aura shone brighter than ever. Conis could feel the heat on her face. The air around his igniting with his rage, while the ground cracked with every step.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" He screamed in a hoarse animalistic voice. "I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

Marcus staggered forward, panting and growling like a monster. "You will not kill me!" He roared, gasping for air. "I will never die! YOU CANNOT KILL ME!"

The pure madness was frightening. Conis screamed, but Pagaya's hand was on her shoulder, firm and reassuring.

"Conis…" He said gently. "Please leave. I will handle this."

She looked at him in horror. Her father had never seemed so firm and reassuring; the foundation on which she had built her life. "But…" She stammered, glancing down to his empty vest. "You don't have any Dials left…"

He smiled softly. "That's not true," he said softly, reaching into a secure pocket on his vest, and pulling out a large, grey seashell. "I still have this one."

It was Wiper who recognised the Dial first. The raider was still being supported by Braham weakly, but his eyes bulged as he saw the Dial in Pagaya's hand. "That's…" Wiper shouted loudly. "That's a _Reject Dial_!

A Reject Dial. The very thought sent shivers down Conis' spine. Reject Dials were infamous in Skypiea; incredibly powerful weapons of destruction. _How could he get a Reject Dial…?_

A smug smile flashed across Pagaya's face briefly. "Sorry," he corrected, as he pulled his vest down, revealing a sash across his waist embedded with five bulky Dials. "These are six Reject Dials."

He staggered to his feet weakly, while the statement sent shockwaves running through the audience. Even Marcus paused, staring between the group as he tried to understand the declaration, but something about the way Pagaya said it caused him to hesitate.

"What the hell are Reject Dials?" Marcus demanded in a hoarse, slightly uncertain voice.

_Six Reject Dials_, Wiper thought in awe. One Reject Dial was enough to transform the God-Slayer into a weapon of mass destruction, but _six_. Pagaya had one on his hand and five around his belt. It was an attack that Pagaya had originally intended as a last ditch attempt against Enel, but it seemed to be needed now.

A single Reject Dial had enough recoil to kill a man, but for _six_…

Other people were having the same thought he was. "We need leave!" Braham shouted suddenly, turning to the rest of the group. "Everyone needs to get as _far away_ from here as possible!"

"Father…" Conis muttered in confusion, before she recognised the determination in Pagaya's eyes. It was firm, but sympathetic. Realised clicked. She shook her head, clutching onto him tightly. "No…!"

He pulled her away gently. "Leave, Conis," he muttered, staggering away.

She shook her head, but Vivi was suddenly there, wrapping her arms around Conis at dragged her away from the blast radius.

"No, father!" Conis screeched, tears flowing down her cheeks. Sanji was there, helping Vivi to lift her away. "_No! You can't do this! No!_"

Pagaya felt his hands tremble as he stared at his daughter. He wanted to say he was sorry, to beg for her forgiveness, but the words caught in his throat.

_I've apologised too many times_, Pagaya realised; _I should have saved some apologies for when they really matter._

Instead he just smiled, and said, "Goodbye, my little angel." There was a tear falling through down his cheek. "Be brave. I will always be _so_ proud of you."

Conis' screams could be heard even as Sanji hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her away. The pirates cast a last, sorrowful look at Pagaya before running madly. Pagaya just slowly turned to Marcus.

The Devil fruit hunter looked confused, and just a little bit nervous. Everyone around him was scattering for the hills. He was used to people running from him, but not like this.

"What's going on here?!" Marcus demanded, as his burning aura reached furious levels. Pagaya showed absolutely no hesitation as he limped towards him.

Pagaya's gaze was unyielding. It was an expression that said 'Oh dear, I'm going to have to kill this man now- what a shame'.

It was murderous, but in the most apologetic way possible.

"You will not kill me!" Marcus growled, but there was a twitch in his eyes. "_I can never die!_"

Pagaya smiled softly as he placed his hand gently on Marcus' shoulder, showing absolutely no concern as the aura shredded through his skin. For a second, a look of absolute fear settled over Marcus. Marcus had never felt fear before. It was paralyzing.

"I _really_ am sorry about this," Pagaya apologised, just as he triggered the Reject Dials.

It wasn't an explosion. There was no fire or heat, or even much sound. There was just an unbelievable amount of pure force that disintegrated everything around him.

One moment, there were two men standing next to each other on a scorched ground. The next second, there was a dull boom, and then everything, the men, the ground, the surroundings, disappeared into dust.

* * *

"What's the matter, Enel?" Gan Fall shouted over the sound of raging thunder. "Your attacks aren't quite as powerful as before!"

"SHUT UP!" Enel screeched launching an arc of lightning the cut cleanly through a chunk of iron. Red sparks shot across the forest.

Gan Fall just grunted, while iron cables shot out of the ground. "You're losing energy! Get _weaker_!"

"NO!" Enel screamed, flickering through the sky in a bolt of lightning. His voice was becoming more and more unhinged with every attack, while his lightning was running wild, unfocused. There were no shapes in the lightning, just wild, raw energy flashing through air. The trees had been vaporised into dust, leaving an open clearing for the pair to trade blows. "_I am God!_"

"Oh, but even that's starting to fade isn't it?" Gan Fall demanded. "It must be _frightening_; feeling the prove of your 'divinity' fade with every blow! You are not as all powerful as you would like to believe!"

He had to keep Enel off guard and unfocused. The god was still a powerhouse, but he was slowly weakening and quickly losing his sanity. Every taunt just served to push Enel further and further over the edge.

"I am stronger than you, old man!" Enel screamed, the lightning whipping through the air while the thunder cracked. The power cleaved Gan Fall's arm straight off, but it rematerialized a second later.

"You are a fool," Gan Fall retorted, launching half a dozen steel spinning disks with the flick of the wrist. Enel didn't dodge; his Mantra was failing along with his sanity. "You still do not understand what really makes a man strong!"

"I can destroy you!" Enel shouted, flickering away to avoid the cables threatening to restrain him. "That makes me strong!"

Gan Fall snorted. "No," he said in a quieter voice. "True strength comes from _weakness_. True strength is the ability to embrace your own weakness, and move through it."

"I have no weakness!" Enel bellowed, as the shockwave shredded the ground into dust.

"Yes, you believe yourself to be invincible," Gan Fall agreed, motioning to the wreckage of his ship. "And look where that's got you."

Enel scowled. "I told you to shut up!" He screamed, as the lightning burst outwards. A wall of metal slammed from the ground, threatening to trap him, and Enel zapped away.

Gan Fall was panting heavily. He was old and the Devil fruit did not change that. He fought with skill and patience, but he just didn't have the stamina for a drawn out fight. He had to finish this now.

His taunts were working. He needed to push Enel into making a mistake. "With every defeat, with every wound and with every battle scar, I have become stronger, Enel," Gan Fall shouted. "That is what you cannot understand. You are destined to lose this fight!"

"Shut up!" Enel screeched madly. "I CANNOT LOSE! _I AM GOD!_"

He paused, glaring at Gan Fall just before he bellowed to the sky. "_AMARU!_"

The blue lightning struck downwards from the sky and Enel's body became swollen with electricity, growing to a humongous size. Enel suddenly transformed into a massive being of lightning, glaring down at Gan Fall with furious, crackling eyes.

"DIE!" Enel roared, in a voice that rumbled with thunder. The blue lightning struck downwards, with enough intensity to disintegrate iron. Gan Fall screamed as the power scorched his metal body.

_Perfect_, he growled, focusing all the strength he had left for one last attack. Enel had finally sacrificed his speed for raw power. Now, it just became a matter of who had the most left. _This will be over quickly_, Gan Fall thought to himself, his brow furrowing in determination.

Steel wires burst out of Gan Fall's body, threading into a massive net around Enel's giant form, and hammering down via huge metal spikes into the stone. The electricity roared, but Enel never stopped his attack. Even when Gan Fall forged huge copper pylons and started siphoning the power away, Enel just screamed louder and pumped more energy out.

"Let us see who the failure is now!" Gan Fall shouted, as metal and lightning danced over the earth. The whole ground tremored and splintered as the power was redirected into the earth. Gan Fall glimpsed the stone burn away as a giant crack cut through the ground. He smirked, forcing the metal spikes into the ground further. "Let us see what I can accomplish!"

The strain was incredible. It felt like Gan Fall was trying to chain down a hurricane. Everything glowed with pure blue energy while the solid steel structure split under the heat and force. Gan Fall could feel his metal body being worn away faster than he could regenerate, but still he pushed onwards as the wires tightened Enel's massive body.

_I just need a bit more…_ Gan thought desperately, weaving the metal around Enel. The air was crackling louder than anything he had ever heard before. _Just a bit more and then I'll be able to finish him…._

"THIS ENDS NOW!" Enel's voice bellowed with thunder.

Gan Fall grunted and slammed both his hands together. "AGREED!" He shouted, the word ringing in that air like metal. His hands started to shift while Gan Fall focused every last ounce of strength he had left. "_TITANIUM!_"

His hands and arms morphed together, suddenly a bright silver edge shot forward. In the blink of an eye, his hands sharpened into a lance and shot outwards, cutting through the electricity with blinding speed.

And then Gan Fall felt a satisfying crunch as the blade cut through flesh and bone.

After that, his strength collapsed and the whole world exploded into blue light.

Everything went quiet. The lightning disappeared, while the metal structures collapsed to the ground. The earth was still trembling like an earthquake, while the crack through island grew larger. In the distance, the mountains started to move further away.

The attack caused the entire island of Upper Yard to split in half.

Slowly, near the centre of the devastation where the ground was still cracking away, a figure pulled himself upwards, clutching at his chest. Enel was panting and groaning in pain, his hand over the wound straight through the side of his stomach as he staggered to his feet. Blood was pouring out of the wound, but then Enel's hand started to crackle and he groaned in agony as the lightning cauterised the wound.

"_I win_, old man," Enel growled, glaring over the figure of Gan Fall lying on the ground.

Gan Fall's armour was gone; it had been scorched away by the lightning. All that was left was a frail, burnt old man lying on the ground, coughing up blood. Enel looked triumphant for half a second, before Gan Fall slowly started to chuckle.

Enel scowled. "Didn't you hear me?!" Enel demanded furiously. "I've _won_, you've lost _again_."

"Oh, I know," Gan Fall muttered through wheezy breaths, still chuckling. His skin was burnt and numb, and he could feel his heart failing. He knew that he was seconds away from death, but he kept on chuckling. "I was never capable beating you, Enel. That was never my intention."

Enel didn't respond, but just stared the ex-god angrily. Gan Fall smirked, staring at the Enel curiously. Around them, the island kept on crumbling away.

"You feel it, don't you?" Gan Fall murmured, staring at Enel critically. The god was panting for breath, clutching his wounded side as he struggled even to remain conscious. Enel's body was beaten and bruised, and he was absolutely exhausted. "You can feel the toll that the battle has taken on you. Even your strength is fading quickly."

Enel stared at him incredulously, panting heavily. Gan Fall just continued in a quiet drawl. "I am old," he sighed, his eyes flickering shut. "And I am tired of fighting. I may not have been capable of killing you, but I was still more than capable of weakening you for _the next one_."

"The next one?!" Enel demanded, still gasping for breath. His body was hurting more than it ever had.

Gan Fall just smirked, his eyes closed almost peacefully. "Yes, the next one," he muttered. "I never said that _I_ would be the one to beat you. I told you that I would _ensure_ your defeat."

His eye flickered open, relishing in the look of slow despair failing over Enel. "Now how's _that_ for one last failure?"

Enel screamed. It was a raw, primal cry that split open the skies and brought down a pillar of blue lightning down open Gan Fall. The old man was smirking even as the electricity cut through his body and cut the earth to pieces. Enel just kept on screaming like a wounded animal.

And then, the lightning stopped suddenly. Enel's eyes bulged as he stared at his hands in shock, feeling his last reserves of power run out. His body was beaten and broken. He could barely breathe through the pain and his head was spinning. He could barely even stay conscious. For the first time in decades, Enel felt completely and utterly _mortal_.

His shoulders sagged. "No…" Enel gasped, feeling the tears run down his cheek.

* * *

About a hundred metres away, Luffy sighed as he pulled himself up from Pierre. His heartbeat was steadying, his strength returning slowly. The rest was exactly what he needed to prepare himself for round two. Gan Fall had bought him time to recover, and slowly Luffy began to understand.

The bag was filled with grapes. Gan Fall had been smart and he knew Upper Yard like the back of his hand. He spent all of yesterday and all the morning flying around the island, hunting for grapevines. Upper Yard was quite a small island, and there were only so many grapevines left in the wilderness.

Every single grape had been harvested and shoved into that bag. When a Devil fruit user died, the power reincarnates into a fruit of the similar type. With a little bit of work, Gan Fall had managed to ensure _exactly_ where the Metal Metal fruit would end up.

Luffy watched slowly as a bundle of grapes in the pile took on a silver sheen as the swirls appeared over the fruit. Luffy slowly picked up the new Metal Metal fruit and stared at it for a long time. Next to him, Pierre was quiet, silently mourning the loss of his comrade.

Beneath him, the earth was rumbling. It felt like the island was being torn apart. Luffy felt his fingers clench into fists as he clutched the Metal Metal fruit tightly and started to walk away. It was time to finish this, and now he had the power to end it once and for all.

"I've got a god to kill…" He muttered under his breath coldly.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**This chapter and the next one was originally planned to be combined. However, I want to stop the extra large chapters that I've been throwing out recently, so I decided to split them up here.**

**That said, I figured it was a bit unfair of me to make you wait for the next half that should have really come together, so that is why this chapter has been uploaded early, and the next one should be coming fairly quickly too.**

**Next time, the fighting all comes to end, and Luffy finally getting his new Devil fruit powers...**

**"_Go To Hell_"...**


	21. Chapter 21: Go To Hell

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Next week, I'm hosting a rally outside of Eiichiro Oda's house to convince himself to hand ownership of One Piece over to me.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Gan Fall ate the Metal Metal fruit to face Enel on equal terms, weakening the god before dying and causing the Devil fruit to reincarnate next to Luffy. Now, Luffy, severely injured but armed with Metal Metal fruit, faces an exhausted Enel for the final time.**_

_**Meanwhile, the psychotic Devil fruit hunter Marcus is stopped by an explosive self-sacrifice from Conis' father, Pagaya.**_

* * *

**Chapter 21: Go To Hell**

Around him, Upper Yard cracked to pieces as the two halves of the island slowly drifting away on the Sea Cloud. The earth was fracturing into pieces and splitting away into chunks dropping out of the sky. The whole island looking like it was crumbling, while Enel just sat on the ground staring at the blackened soil.

In front of him, there was an outline of charcoal that was all that was left of Gan Fall. Somehow, the old man still seemed to be mocking him. Enel felt himself shaking as he gradually sensed the presence walking towards him. He could feel the killing intent so sharp that it made his blood run cold.

Luffy slowly stepped towards him. The pirate's skin was bloodied, blistered and covered in ash, yet his eyes were murderously firm. He held the Metal Metal fruit tightly in his hand. Luffy was breathing heavily, but showed no signs of backing down.

Enel was gasping for breath weakly. The god's body was scarred and bruised, while his face had been so bloodied he was barely recognisable. His nose was burst, his jaw broken, his teeth shattered and his vision was failing. He barely had any lightning left. He honestly didn't know how much fight he still had in him.

He never knew how much fight either of them had left.

"So…" Enel gasped, his voice raw and throaty. "This is what comes down to then? One last fight…"

Luffy didn't respond. He stood ten metres away, his hand firmly on the silver Devil fruit. Next them, a huge chunk of earth split away, cutting through the ground. The other side of the island was rapidly drifting away, leaving a huge chasm in the middle.

"Answer me this…" Enel panted, heaving himself off the ground with pure willpower. The man was still monstrously strong to be able to keep going. "Why are you doing this?! _Why are you here_?"

Luffy never said a word. There were tears rolling down Enel's cheeks, the salt stinging his cuts on his face. Enel had never looked for meaning before. All his life, he had been fulfilled. The indignity of the moment nearly sent him to his knees.

"Answer me, goddamn it!" He screamed, his knees shaking. There was no arrogance left. "_Why?!_"

Luffy cleared his throat. "Because you hurt my friends," he said simply.

"Your friends?" Enel frowned, thinking back. "But they were _weak_."

His eyes narrowed. "They are stronger than you will ever be."

Enel blinked, staggering forward slightly. "I am God…" He gasped. "I was always God… I took my Devil fruit, I ate it and then suddenly I was on a different level to everyone else." His eyes were wide and unhinged. "… They hated me as much as they worshipped me. I became death. I became God…"

His voice was pained. For the first time, longer than he could remember, he was terrified. It was the fear of a man who had believed himself to be invincible who then encountered someone stronger in every way. Enel's Mantra could sense Luffy's willpower and raw spirit. It was mind-blowingly powerful. It put 'God' to shame.

Enel took a deep breath, trying to calm his flying nerves. He had never really been scared before. Not like this. "…You…" Enel gasped, glaring at Luffy. "What's your name?"

"Monkey D. Luffy," the pirate replied quietly.

Enel's eyes bulged, realisation flickering across his face. "Hmm… _D_…." He muttered weakly. "So it's come to this…"

Luffy didn't respond, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. Enel smirked humourlessly. "You don't know?" The god explained. "It was something my father told me a long time ago. I thought it was the gibberish of a dying old man at the time, but… well… _now_…"

Enel clenched his hands into fists. "Members of the fated 'clan of D'…" He said softly. "…are considered the 'Natural Enemies of God'!"

The words rang in the air. Suddenly, Enel was laughing manically, all the while the tears rolled down his faces wildly. He looked deranged. The memories of just the other day flooded back to him, so intense they burned through his body. He had been so _bored_, so desperate to feel alive again. He had spent so many years aloof and distant, trying to convince himself that this was the life he wanted. All that time, Enel had been envious of the 'mortals', even as he glared up at the moon longingly.

That was all gone. He wasn't bored anymore. His heart was pounding and he was more alive than he had ever been.

His very last reserves of power reached his fingertips as the air hummed with electricity. He had force his way inside just to drag out the lightning. His whole body felt like it was falling to pieces but he screamed a primal roar of fury.

"Come on!" Enel screamed as the lightning sparked around him, zapping towards Luffy. The lightning was blue anymore; it was orange, like the burning of a dying candle. "_Let's finish this!_"

Luffy was dodging even before Enel fired. The electricity was wild and unfocused, striking the in such a wild cone that it was hard to avoid. A stray spark caught Luffy in the shoulder, sending him to the ground. His whole body ached as he skidded across the blackened earth, but he cradled the Metal Metal fruit protectively.

The pirate turned to stare at the Devil fruit, his hand hesitating. Around him, Enel continued to blast lightning as the thunder roared. "What are you waiting for?!" Enel screamed madly. "Eat that damn fruit and be done with it! _I will prove to you that _I _am the true GOD!_"

Luffy's teeth clench as he glared at Enel, before his legs collided with the ground and suddenly he was running. This was how he proved to _himself_ that he was more than just a Devil fruit power.

"I'm not going to eat it…!" Luffy roared, jumping upwards until he was running on air. Enel never even had time to look surprised as Luffy charged straight through Enel's lightning. "…_You are!_"

The next second, Luffy crashed straight into Enel, tackling the god upwards while his hand rammed the Metal Metal fruit into Enel's gaping mouth. Enel gasped in shock, but Luffy's gaze was murderous.

Suddenly, they were both flying through the air. Luffy's legs never stopped pounding, lifting them both upwards. Enel's body thrashed and writhed, generating so much electricity that Luffy screamed in pain. They were a shooting blur of blue electricity, flashing through the darks clouds like a comet.

The pain was intense, but Luffy's body was on autopilot. He slammed his shoulder into Enel while his arm just rammed further into Enel, forcing the Devil fruit down his throat. The Metal Metal fruit was being squashed to a pulp in his grip, while the broken shards of Enel's teeth bit into Luffy's hand. Enel's eyes were wide and fearful, but he couldn't even gasp as Luffy struggled to force the Devil fruit down his throat.

Luffy had no idea how long it lasted. He must have blacked out from the pain, but his body never stopped. There were thousands of volts tearing through him while Enel kicked and punched, but somehow he just kept on going. The only thing he could see was the frantic, terrified dread in Enel's eyes.

And then, the god finally ran out of breath. His body demanded air and, despite his desperate efforts, his throat gulped downwards. Enel's face turned pale as the Devil fruit dropped down into his stomach.

The lightning stopped. Luffy's body collapsed. Both men were then instantly dropping downwards through the air as the cloud rose up to meet them.

Everything went silent. Luffy crashed into soft cloud, tearing through vegetation as he rolled to a halt. His eyes spun as he tried to process his surroundings, realising vaguely how far from Upper Yard he had ran. He was in front of a small, wooden cottage, surrounded by vegetable fields and rolling Island Cloud, with a large tree shadowing the house from behind. Luffy's strength failed him as he collapsed into ground.

Enel collided straight into the trunk of tree, causing leaves to scatter across the cottage. Enel was clutching his throat, gasping madly as he tried desperately to spit the Devil fruit back out. His face was nearly purple. Luffy just stared emotionlessly.

"You want to prove that you a 'God'?" Luffy asked quietly, not moving an inch. "Then prove it to yourself."

His eyes were trembling with fear, his pupils swirling madly. Enel managed to focus on Luffy and generate a bolt of lightning in his hand, only to gasp as slowly his fingers transformed into metal.

"…No…" Enel murmured in absolute dread. "… No… this can't be happening…"

His skin was rippling constantly, flickering between metal and lightning. Enel clutched at his chest in pain as he felt the power writhe within him. He looked like he wanted to scream, but he could barely breathe. His body stayed to glow unstably.

Enel stared at Luffy in pure terror while his skin stared to shimmer. "… I… I…" Enel gasped weakly, the tears pouring madly down his face. "… I don't want to die…!"

The air exploded with power. Luffy felt a supernatural chill run down his spine as Enel disappeared into a flash of light. It was like his whole body detonated with unnatural power, with enough force to tear through the earth, causing the tree to collapse with a huge creak.

Luffy felt Enel's presence vanish, like a candle being snuffed out. In the smoke, Luffy briefly glimpsed two incorporeal shapes, one electric yellow and the other metallic silver, rise into the sky and vanish.

The air turned deathly silent. There wasn't a sound to be heard except Luffy's own heartbeat, slowly fading as his adrenaline bled away. The sudden crash felt like being hit by a train, causing him to shudder as his nerves switched on again as he felt the pain again.

His whole body was screaming in agony. Every muscle felt torn, every bone felt shattered. He could hardly breathe as the pain rendered him helpless.

And then, suddenly, he felt his mind detach. Luffy's presence expanded across the sky like a floodgate breaking open. In an instant, Luffy could _feel_ everything, all across Skypiea.

The experience felt like his head was about to shatter, but somehow he held on. He focused on the feeling of the people he knew best; his friends. His family.

"… They need me…" He gasped, weakly pulling himself up as his mind tried to adapt. It was like being blind your entire life and then suddenly seeing colour. The feeling of his sixth sense caused mind to spin, but he anchored onto the spirits of his friends like he was touching them.

Luffy instantly knew exactly where they were. He was miles away, but he could feel them clear as day. He could feel the presence, he could feel their pain, and he could feel their mood. He could feel absolutely everything around him as his mind zoomed over the clouds.

"My friends need me…" He gasped. The very thought was enough to give him the strength to stagger to his feet. Luffy was panting as he clutched the wall of the cottage, struggling to breathe.

Then, he felt something else. It was so fleeting that he nearly missed it, but a strange, inhuman power flickered in the air by him. Luffy flinched, but the power wasn't focused on him. Luffy turned slowly, carefully shambling around the cottage, following the strange feeling.

On the other side of cottage, there was a large field of orange, bulbous objects sticking out of the earth, covered in green leaves. Pumpkins. There were some harvested pumpkins piled by the side of the house, in the process of being squashed, but the large field of them stretched out across the ground. Luffy followed the tingle on his skin, until slowly realisation dawned.

"Oh," Luffy exclaimed dumbly, staring at a large, fleshy pumpkin near the back row.

The pumpkin looked exactly the same as the others, except slowly its skin started to transform yellow and jagged spirals materialised on the surface. Luffy stared while a strange gleam glistened over the fruit, and a supernatural aura settled over the pumpkin patch.

He nearly exactly which one it was. Slowly, he moved to pick up the newly reincarnated Rumble Rumble fruit, staring at curiously. It was a while before he spoke.

"…_Huh_…" Luffy muttered finally. His friends needed him. His friends needed him to get stronger…

* * *

"Father!" Conis screamed, weeping uncontrollably as the dust billowed around them. A large crater was left in the middle of the ground, as slowly the pirates and raiders gathered around in shocked silence. Nobody quite knew what to say while the Conis' screams split through the sky.

"…Conis…" Vivi whispered sympathetically, hugging the slender girl tightly. She was shivering and felt so frail. The earth had been pulverised into nothing, throwing up clouds of dust that stung her eyes. Around them, the ground was rumbling silently, but nobody had quite been able to process what was happening.

Nami cast a glance upwards, where the dark clouds of the Arc Maxim were slowly starting to clear. The whole island felt strangely silent as she glanced around the sooty air, struggling to think of something to say.

"_You think you could kill me?!_" A hoarse, ragged voice roared suddenly. Everyone froze. "_I WILL NEVER DIE!_"

The dust started to rustle as a climbed out of the crater, screaming madly. Conis' mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged. "No…!" She gasped, collapsing backwards in shock.

Marcus slowly crawled out of the ground, while Vivi stared with disbelief and dread. The man shouldn't be alive. There was no way he could have survived that…

He was snarling and panting like an animal. Marcus' body was covered in white dust and ash that was quickly being stained red from blood. His right arm had been blown clean off from the blast, while the whole side of his face had been shredded. It was hard tell under the dirt, but Vivi could have sworn that she could see the white bone of his skull.

It looked like one side of his body had been vaporised. His shoulder had vanished, taking a chunk of his chest with it. Somehow, by some unbelievable madness, he was Marcus was still moving.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" He screamed madly. He looked absolutely inhuman. His face was a disfigured mess of bloody injuries and missing skin. "I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU ALL!"

Vivi gasped in shock, but slowly the initial fear started to fade. Marcus was so injured he could barely move his legs, shambling as he struggled to crawl out of crater. He just kept spewing curses and profanities madly, glaring around at the group. He was a missing an eye.

Gradually, as Marcus kept on shambling forward with broken bones, the sight became less horrifying and more… _pathetic_.

No one said a word as they stared at the dying man so desperate for murder. Around him, the air was shimmering; but it wasn't the intense red glow anymore, more like a weak, unstable orange glimmer. He just kept on coming, heading slowly towards Vivi. Behind her, Sanji stepped in front of Conis and cracked his knuckles. The raiders started to load their weapons.

And Marcus didn't care. All pretence of humanity had been stripped away, leaving nothing but a wild demon desperate for blood.

_How is this man still alive?_ Vivi thought with part disbelief and part disgust. She had once heard that cockroaches would survive until the end of the world. _Perhaps the most despicable creatures just never died._

Vivi cast a glance towards Conis, crawling on the ground frantically, and she felt her fists clench. Everyone else was keeping their distance, but slowly Vivi started to walk towards Marcus, feeling a cold, merciless determination that she had never felt before.

"Vivi!" Nami shouted in concerned as she watched Marcus shamble towards her like a zombie.

Marcus grinned. Or, at least, she thought it was a grin. He didn't have enough face left to do it properly. Vivi just stared at him like he was a repulsive bug that refused to die. She felt her stomach churn sickeningly, and it had nothing to do with his appearance.

"Well hello there, beautifu–" He gasped, but he was cut off just as a wave of sand slammed out of the ground. Perhaps he was expecting a light, nervous attack, but this was a murderous backhanded swipe that took him off his feet.

There was no hesitation in Vivi anymore. Just cold, determined fury as she glared at him and thought about all the people he had hurt.

"COME ON!" Marcus screamed madly, struggling to pull himself off the ground. His shimmering aura flared. "I'LL TAKE WHATEVER YOU –"

The blade of sand sent him crashing towards the ground. The rest of the group stared at Vivi in amazement as she walked towards Marcus slowly. Around her, the sand was swirling furiously.

"I won't die!" Marcus screamed, spitting out glob of blood. "I will never die! You can't kill me! You can't ki… _oh_…"

The sand writhed around him, thrashing upwards to the sky in huge pillar of fury. For half a second, Marcus looked nervous, just before he was swallowed by the sandstorm. The furious sand crushed him from all directions, holding him in place as the churning sand slowly ground him down. His shield shimmered brightly, but the sandstorm grinded against him like a buzz saw. He wasn't laughing anymore.

Vivi stood outside the sandstorm, arms outstretched, pumping more power in as the sand whirled faster and faster. Her blue hair flew madly in the wind. Strangely, it had never been easier to use her powers. The churning inside of her was gone, replaced by a calm clarity as she channelled more and more power out of her body.

Nami stared at her best friend in shock. The dust in the air was gone, sucked up into the vortex of sand. There wasn't any doubt or hesitation in Vivi's eyes.

"That's…" Nami gasped quietly. "…That's _Crocodile_-level power…"

Conis wasn't crying anymore. Sanji slowly helped her to her feet, while around them the raiders gathered around the vortex in amazement. Usopp woke up back in human form, and slowly walked towards the column of sand.

From the other side, Robin watched from a cautious distance, keeping Aisa safely out of harm. The sand howled through the air, grinding its way through the earth.

Vivi expression was focused and her teeth were clenched. Her breathing was steady and her pulse was calm. _I don't know how long it's going to take,_ she thought quietly, _but I'm just going to grind this man away until he finally just dies._

The storm lasted another three minutes before Vivi finally relaxed. She could feel the strain catching up to her, but the sand just flowed around her so easily. _Perhaps its personality_, she thought simply, recalling the deserts from Alabasta. _The sand is merciless and doesn't like weakness. It eats anyone who's unprepared. You've got to be attuned to your element before you can use it properly _…

The sand disappeared into the air, as quickly as it materialised. The mood was quiet as they all closed in around the figure at the centre of the eroded earth. There was barely anything left of Marcus. The sand had flayed the skin of his body, but he glared at Vivi with a mixture of fury and horror.

"… I will kill you…" He gasped weakly through dry lips. "… I will kill you all…"

She stared at him, wondering how she had ever been afraid of such a creature. Even now, there was nothing but hatred and murder left in him. Vivi just looked down at him in disgust. "You're pathetic," she said simply, slashing out with a blade of sand.

Marcus' shield flared as he blocked the blow, but the impact still took him off his feet and sent him skidding across the ground. He glared at Vivi with berserk rage, but there was a glimmer of fear in his eye.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He screeched madly, struggling to pull himself up. "I'LL MURDER YOU ALL!"

From across the ground, Wiper stared at the Devil fruit hunter quietly, feeling a shiver roll down his spine. The raider was nearly collapsed onto the ground, but he still stared at the psychopath. Even when Marcus was dying, he just didn't fall down. He lived solely for battle and murder…

Despite himself, Wiper felt a twinge of empathy for Marcus, and he really, really wasn't comfortable having any sort of relation with the man. It felt like looking at monster and seeing yourself.

The pirates slowly surrounded Marcus, and he gulped unwillingly. The fury in his eyes was starting to fade, replaced with frantic desperation. Marcus was practically foaming at the mouth.

"You will not kill me!" He screamed, looking between his enemies with insane rage. "You will not kil–"

"Enough!" A voice thundered across the field. Everyone turned in shock just to see Luffy limping towards them. Luffy was staggering and bleeding badly, covered in blisters and dirt.

Vivi felt her heart jump as he saw her captain. The relief shattered over them like a tidal wave. "Luffy!" She shouted happily. Next to her, Usopp was jumping for joy.

Luffy grinned like a fool, still wobbling with every step. "Hey. It's over," he muttered gently, before turning to Marcus with a harsher look. "It's over. Just let it end already."

His gaze was deadly. Marcus was panting like a rabid animal. "It's never over!" He shrieked, flaring his aura up to dangerous levels as he charged madly. "Not when I'm still breathing!"

Marcus leapt towards Vivi, swinging his remaining arm madly. Vivi raised a shield of sand to block, but Luffy was faster. Luffy's hand shot forward, and suddenly the air cracked with power.

The lightning caused the whole island to flinch. Vivi just stared in awe as the yellow blast of electricity shot by her, sending Marcus skidding across the ground. Luffy was standing perfectly still, his fingers crackling with electricity.

One by one, they all turned towards him. Nami felt her mouth drop open. "Luffy…!" She gasped.

Wiper's eyes bulged. "That's Enel's power!" He panted, struggling to his feet.

Luffy shook his head. "No; this is _my_ power now," he said coolly, still limping towards Marcus. The Rumble Rumble fruit had tasted horrible; like fire and ash. His tongue was still screaming from the taste. "It's over."

The Devil fruit hunter was wheezing for breath as he tried to pull himself up. "You can't kill me…" He murmured weakly, eyes staring upwards furiously. "I won't die… I can't die… I'll kill you all –"

He dragged himself off the ground, before shambling towards Luffy like a berserker. Luffy just stared at him quietly. "When I say it's over…" He muttered quietly, eyes glimmering. "_**Then it's over!**_"

The words rang with so much power that everything seemed to go quiet. Everything halted. A few of the Shandorian raiders collapsed, while Conis fell to the ground unconscious. The power hit Marcus straight on, causing him to falter and trip. His remaining eye was wide and bulging. Luffy suddenly transformed into pure, brilliantly bright lightning that crackled through the air in a roar of thunder.

"I won't die…" Marcus whispered weakly as he felt the fear drench through his body. The lightning charged towards him. "I won't di–"

Luffy's fist rematerialized in the air and charged towards him at the speed of lightning. In an instant, his knuckles turned pitch black. He ripped through the shimmering aura like a hot knife through butter, as Luffy's hand collided straight against Marcus' head.

And didn't stop. The Devil fruit hunter's skull cracked like an egg.

"Just go to hell already…" Luffy muttered dismissively, rematerializing in a flash and walking away. "…You'd probably enjoy it there."

Marcus' limp body slumped against the ground. The sandy ground splattered red with blood. For half a second, Luffy was sure he felt a presence spill out of Marcus' body; like a billowing, invisible ghost with blood red eyes. Still, there was no time to dwell on it. Luffy turned weakly towards his friends and forced a smile.

"Hey, sorry I cou–" he murmured under his breath. He wasn't even able to finish the sentence before they crashed into him.

In an instant, Vivi and Nami had wrapped their arms around him, squeezing him so tightly it felt like his remaining ribs were about to crack. They were both crying as hugged him tightly, and Luffy felt his heart skip.

Next to him Usopp was dancing on the spot, screaming happily. In human form, Usopp looked a lot more frail and his bruises were more obvious, but he still seemed happy. "You're alive! I knew you were alive!" He screamed. "I knew you would do it!"

Sanji sighed as he dropped to the ground in relief. "You always have to make us worry…" He said coolly, lighting a cigarette.

Luffy couldn't breathe as he felt Nami tighten her grip. Her head was resting across his chest, while Vivi was sobbing gently into his shoulder. "…You!" Nami shouted. "You always have to go so far… we were so worried…!"

Her arms tightened even further. Luffy gasped weakly. "This really hurts!" He exclaimed, his body trembling madly.

The girls jumped off him quickly. Luffy wobbled dangerously. Nami smiled apologetically, wiping the tears from her cheek. "I'm sorry!" She squealed as Luffy clutched at his chest.

The captain's eyes were quickly swelling up with tears. "No, it's alright," he murmured. "It's good pain."

She sniffed. Luffy just stared at her gently, his eyes inspecting the injuries across her body. All of his friends were wounded. "Please don't cry," he whispered weakly, his eyes wide as he stared between them. "I really can't take it when you cry…"

Nami smirked. "Idiot," she chided, slapping him across the head very weakly. "They're good tears."

Luffy turned, just as Robin approached him from the other side, walking with Aisa. He tried to open his mouth to speak, just as the dark haired archaeologist cut him off with a gentle, tender hug. His heart nearly stopped as their bodies pressed together softly. Her cheek pressed lightly against his.

"You said you'd be right back," she whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry," Luffy murmured.

She smiled. "Don't be," she replied. Her lips brushed against his cheek so gingerly that no one else even noticed. Luffy's grin widened as a moment passed between them.

Robin pulled away. Sanji stood up slowly, grabbing a hold Luffy just as he looked like he was about to collapse. "Come on, captain," the chef said quietly, wrapping Luffy's arm around his shoulder. "Let's go find Chopper and get you patched up."

Vivi squealed as instantly she noticed the injuries across Luffy. It was hard to see under the dirt and ash, but every inch of Luffy's skin was blistered and raw. He was shirtless, and even his shorts were burnt and ruined. It looked like he had been barbecued.

"God, are you alright?" She asked nervously.

He smiled at her. "I am now…" His eyes were flickering tiredly. Without the adrenaline powering him through, it was so hard to even move. His legs felt cumbersome and weak as Sanji half dragged him away.

Usopp hesitated, casting a glance towards the Shandorian raiders, still milling around the ruined earth. The raiders were stared at them with utter confusion and shock, while the smoke, dust and sand drifted across the air. "What about them?" Usopp asked uncertainly.

Luffy glanced towards them, but he couldn't sense any will to fight remaining. A strange sort of peace settled over the land, as if everyone was out of fight. In the sky, the black clouds were slowly breaking against the rays of light cutting through.

"It's fine," Luffy replied simply, loud enough so that everyone could hear him. There was a just a hint of warning in his voice, particularly as he focused on Wiper. "It's all over."

One by one, the raiders all turned to look at their chief. Wiper was barely conscious on the ground, struggling to move as he locked eyes with Luffy. Wiper squirmed, before glimpsing between the twisted remains of the God-Slayer and mutilated body of Marcus.

"Chief?" Braham asked cautiously, clutching his guns.

"He's right," Wiper said quietly, a small flicker in his eyes. "There's nothing left to fight."

Sanji and Robin took either side of Luffy as they helped him stagger away. Nami and Vivi hesitated, before picking up the unconscious Conis of carrying her gently. In the distance, Luffy saw the shape of the Going Merry, and he felt his knees wobble weakly. His body was instantly very, very exhausted.

"Umm… guys?" Luffy murmured with a gulp. "I'm going to collapse now. Will you catch me?"

Sanji smirked. "Course we will, moron."

Luffy grinned, just as his eyes closed and his body shut down. "Good," he muttered weakly, and that was the last thing he remembered before everything went pitch black. His legs buckled and he toppled downwards.

He never hit the ground.

* * *

_Twelve hours later…_

The sun was slowly setting over the horizon, highlighting the island in a bath of orange and red. Wiper sat on a small hill overlooking the forest, slowly scratching at the dirt. His whole body was covered in bandages and his arm was in a sling. He wanted to sleep, but he just couldn't. The berserker inside of him wouldn't let him close his eyes.

Upper Yard looked like a completely different place. The island had been split straight down the centre, leaving the Shandorian ruins on this side and the rest of the island, including Angel Island, on the other. The earth had slowly stopped trembling, creating a hundred foot chasm between the two halves of Upper Yard. The island used to be almost circular, but it was now left as two semi circles

Giant Jack, the beanstalk, had toppled, and was the only thing bridging the two chunks of land. The huge plant draped across the land, and was long enough to stretch from one side of the island to the other. The beanstalk hung across the rift like a bridge, allowing the raiders to cross as they searched island thoroughly.

Huge chunks of forest had been decimated. Much of the ruins were obliterated. Their homeland had been nearly destroyed.

Still, Wiper didn't even feel angry as he hold a handful of soil in his hand and let the precious Vearth run down his fingers.

Most of the other raiders were out searching the island. The old chief had been the first warrior in over four hundred years to be buried in the ruins of ancestors, in the soil of his homeland. The funeral had been quick and rushed, but it left Wiper feeling so emotionally drained that he could barely move. Instead, all he did was watch the sunset over the island.

_We've been fighting for over four hundred years to watch this sunset_, Wiper realised solemnly.

Slowly, there were footsteps from behind him. Braham walked cautiously up towards Wiper. "Chief," Braham announced carefully. "We've search the whole island. No sign of the golden bell, but a couple of guys say that they saw it fall off the edge of the island."

Braham was expecting a violent outburst. Instead, Wiper just nodded quietly. "Right," he replied simply, staring out in at the sunset.

Braham shifted uncomfortably. "It might have caught on an Island Cloud in the White Sea," the raider suggested hopefully. "I'll send some guys down to look for it now."

Wiper shook his head. "Don't bother," he advised. "If it fell, it would have fallen all the way down to the Blue Sea."

Reluctantly, Braham agreed. A tense silence fell upon the pair, but Wiper didn't seem to notice. "I'm sorry," Braham muttered awkwardly.

Wiper sighed. The words of the old chief echoed in his mind. "Nah…" Wiper said quietly. "We'll just have to make a new light of Shandora. We'll find some other way to let Montblanc Noland know we're here."

Braham frowned. Without his hat, the large man looked weird with a thick monobrow dominating his face. "What about the trespassers?" Braham demanded. "They're making camp in their ship on the edge of our island, and we've got Skypieans flocking to us as well. Do you want to drive them out?"

He hesitated, glancing towards the soil. He had destroyed too much Vearth today to stain anymore of it with blood. "Leave them," Wiper relented. "We'll sort it all out later."

The doubt was clear on Braham's face, but he nodded and started to walk away. He only made it a few steps before Wiper called out loudly, "Hey, this isn't an accident, you know."

Braham froze, turning to look Wiper, still sitting cross-legged on the island as he stared at the other half of the island. "What?" Braham asked uncertainly.

"The old man, Gan Fall, he didn't do this on accident," Wiper said with firm certainty. "He spent most of his life trying to find a way to make peace between the Shandorians and Skypieans. Apparently, with his last breath, he might have succeeded."

Braham looked confused. Wiper turned to stare at him. "Gan Fall split the island in _half_," Wiper explained quietly. Even half the island was much more than they had ever had for four hundred years, and it was always the ruins of the city that they were most interested in. There were two separate islands now. "One half for us, one half for the Skypieans. I think the war is over."

* * *

Usopp groaned as he staggered sleepily through the ship. The Going Merry was trapped in a state of paralysis. The only one still moving was Chopper, as he urgently rushed to treat his patients. Everyone else was in a near comatose state of recovery.

The sniper slowly walked through the quiet ship. He done his best to make sure the ship wasn't going to sink, but there were still lots of repairs that were needed. Somehow, the wood seemed almost content now that everyone was safely on board.

Slowly, Usopp found his way into the storage room, and sat down onto the wooden floor with a wince of pain. Night was descending outside, and everything seemed so quiet and still. Usopp took a deep breath, before slowly starting to speak.

"I know you're here," he muttered quietly to the empty room. "But I'm not going to look for you anymore. If you don't want to reveal yourself, that's fine."

There wasn't a sound. Usopp paused, hesitantly. "I just… I just want to say thank you," he said weakly. "I know what you did for us, and I really appreciate it. We all do. You've always been there for us, so thank you."

He gently closed his eyes and leant backwards, feeling the exhaustion catching up to him. "You've always been our friend," he murmured sleepily, resting his head against the wooden floor as he slowly got comfortable.

He yawned as he felt sleep drop over him gradually. A few minutes later, Usopp felt a small, gently almost childlike hand rest on his shoulder gingerly.

Usopp grinned but he never opened his eyes.

* * *

_Nine hours later…_

As the sun rose over the island, the pirates slowly began to stir. The most severely wounded were resting in the mess room, while Chopper watched over them like a nervous hen. Luffy was the most heavily bandaged of them all, covered in ointments for his burns while Chopper checked his pulse every thirty minutes diligently. Still, the captain was so unconscious he was almost comatose.

With a yawn, Zoro slowly pulled himself upwards, scratching irritably at the bandages across his chest. Chopper was on him in an instant, looking scarier than a tiny, fluffy reindeer had any right to be.

"No!" Chopper squealed warningly. "You are not going to remove those bandages! You are going to stay perfectly still until you're healed!"

Zoro groaned. "But I need to train!" He protested weakly, ignoring Usopp's sniggering from the corner of the room.

"I had to use a _magnet_ to get the iron shrapnel out of your body!" Chopper shouted. "So you're going to do exactly what I say!"

"But –"

"Get back into bed, mister!"

The swordsman shoulders sagged, but he didn't have the energy to argue. He sighed as he dropped back into the hammock set up in the room. Across the room, Usopp was rolling on the floor in laughter.

"I'm going to kill you, Usopp," Zoro muttered tiredly.

"Hey!" Chopper shouted.

"After I've healed," Zoro added reluctantly.

Chopper nodded approvingly. "Good, you can kill Usopp when you're all better."

Usopp's eyes bulged. "_Hey!_"

The pair instantly started bickering, even as Vivi walked into the room to see to Carue. The duck was heavily sedated and injured, but still squawked happily as she approached. She giggled, muttering reassuringly to him as she stroked his feathers, discreetly feeding him fish when Chopper wasn't looking.

Downstairs, in the girl's bedroom, Conis was fast asleep. She was physically unharmed, but Chopper had still sedated her to let her rest. Conis had been crying all night, and Vivi felt her heart ache for the poor girl. Vivi surrendered her own bed so that she could sleep better.

Robin was sitting in the corner of the room, next to Luffy, quietly reading a book. The dark haired woman had been helping Chopper tend all the injuries, and watching over the wounded. Sanji was in the kitchen, trying to salvage what was left of the food to make a steady stream of edible meals.

The Going Merry was pretty badly beaten up, with splinters covering the floor and a large hole burnt into the ceiling. The men's' bedroom had been demolished, while the mast still hung precariously of the edge of the ship. They wouldn't be sailing anywhere any time soon.

Still, a quiet content peace settled over the ship. All anyone wanted to do was sleep and clean up the mess.

Outside, Nami was busy surveying the damage. As Vivi staggered outwards to help, wincing slightly from the dull pain from her stab wound, she felt her mouth drop as she looked over the island.

Nami was leaning over the balcony idly, wearing a long, floral nightgown that drape over her body. The Going Merry was anchored at the side of the Milky Road, but on the field around the ship there were dozens of tents established. The plain was covered in men, women and children, all with stubby white wings, surrounding the ship. None of them looked hostile.

Vivi blinked, carefully approaching the edge. There must be at least two hundred people crowded around the Going Merry. At the base of ship, around the gangway, there was a large pile of items. Vivi glimpsed food, Dials, weapons, and trinkets all piled in front of the ship. The crowd kept a short, respectful distance, and there was almost a reverence in the silence that surrounded them.

"What's going on?" Vivi asked quietly, walking next to Nami. She saw men and women staring at them with wide eyes and speaking in hushed tones. "What's all this?"

Nami took a deep breath, her eyes staring at crowd. "_Offerings_," she answered plainly, motioning to the pile of items.

Vivi stared. "Offerings?!"

"Apparently, Marcus and his goons did a lot of damage to Angel Island when they passed through," Nami explained quietly. "Everyone had to flee. Some couldn't run fast enough. All the Skypieans were left floating around on the White White Sea when they saw Enel try to destroy the island, and then everything that happened after that. Apparently, word travels fast."

"So what are they doing here?" Vivi demanded, and she saw the quiet despair in Nami's eyes. Vivi glanced around the crowd, only to realise that they weren't all Skypieans. There were groups of Enel's Enforcers, White Berets, the former devotees, and the prisoners of Enel all scattered among the crowd, peacefully. "And why are they giving _offerings_?!"

Nami rubbed her eyes tiredly. She'd been out here for hours trying to think of a way to convince them all to go home. "Because they're here to pay tribute," she said simply, motioning to the mess room where Luffy slept on a table. "They're here to worship the _new_ God."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Well, this chapter marks the end of the big fight, and from now on the Skypiea arc is going to wind down. I really hope everyone has enjoyed it. It's been an experience to write.**

**Coming up next; new crew mates, new romances and new Devil fruits. Also, there are a couple of guys who I haven't forgotten about and are going to have to make an appearance...**

**Next chapter: 'The New God'...**


	22. Chapter 22: The New God

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I spent the last week camped outside Eiichiro Oda's house, holding a rally to convince him to turn over ownership of One Piece to me. Alone. Absolutely nobody else showed up. I stood by myself in freezing cold for days. All of my readers stood me up.**

**Well, screw you guys too...**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**After a hard won battle filled with sacrifices, Luffy defeats Enel and eats the Rumble Rumble fruit, before collapsing from his injuries. All of the enemies in Skypiea have been defeated and peace returns to the Sky Island.**_

_**As Luffy sleeps, the now leaderless Skypieans begin to regard him as their new God...**_

* * *

**Chapter 22: The New God**

Luffy's eyes flickered very gently in the darkness. He wasn't quite sleeping but he could hardly be called awake either. Instead, he was just lying there with his eyes closed, and his body was so numb he couldn't even twitch. He had never realised how heavy his limbs were before.

The return to consciousness was very gradual, like a heavy object slowly getting sucked down a drain. His breathing was steady, regular and relaxed, but his muscles were so tired he just didn't have the energy to move. Even lifting his eyelids felt like an enormous task.

So instead he just lay there. He was on a hard wooden surface, but there was a comfy pillow behind his head. Vaguely, he could feel the presence of his friends around him, like a tickle on his skin, so he was content to do just stay there motionlessly.

It took days before Luffy finally started to react, and it was his stomach more than anything that demanded him to move. Chopper had been feeding him through a drip, but his stomach obviously didn't get the memo. His chest growled softly like an irritated animal, and unwillingly Luffy finally found the strength to sluggishly open his eyes.

The dim light was blinding. His pupils screamed in agony as they struggled to adjust, but slowly he realised he was staring straight upwards at the wooden ceiling. Luffy groaned softly as he felt his whole body tremor; carrying him out of recovery mode.

Someone was sitting next to him. Luffy didn't know how he knew that without looking or hearing anything, but he just felt a realisation that there was someone there. He recognised the presence instantly, and he sighed as soft, slender hand pressed coolly on his forehead.

"Careful," Robin said gently, putting her book down as she checked his temperature. "Don't try to move too fast."

_I don't think I can move at all_, Luffy thought quietly, but he could only wince as he started to register the pain again. His skin was screeching in pain. Vaguely, he realised that his whole body was covered in bandages, while a buckle fastened him softly to the table. Luffy's nose wrinkled as a pungent smell hit his nostrils.

"Herbs and poultices," Robin explained quietly, watching his face. "Your body was burned pretty badly; we wanted to try and stop any scarring. Chopper smeared you with every medicine he had to try and reduce the blistering."

She quickly unfastened the buckle around his chest. Every inch of skin except his face was covered in bandages. Luffy groaned softly, weakly looking around the empty meeting room. It was the middle of the night, but Robin had been sitting on a stool next to him, underneath a small lantern, reading a book.

Robin was wearing tight purple trousers and a white collared shirt, unbuttoned just over her cleavage. There were tired shadows under her eyes, but she still somehow looked more perfect than he remembered. She just seemed to ooze grace at all times.

The ship looked a lot more damaged than he remembered it. Above him, there was a hole in the ceiling that had been clumsy patched up with odd planks of wood.

"How long have been asleep?" Luffy muttered feebly, his throat as dry as sandpaper.

"Four days," Robin replied, slowly holding a glass of water next to him. She held the glass up to his lips and raised his head up as he gratefully gulped the cool liquid down. His body cried in relief as the liquid flooded him.

"Thanks," he said quietly, meeting Robin's dark, wide eyes. The tip of her silky hair brushed lightly against his cheek. She looked every bit as composed as ever, and Luffy felt his heart skip slightly.

"Tell me…" Luffy asked pleadingly. "Is everyone ok? Are they safe?"

A tender smile fell across Robin's lips as she stroked his cheek softly. "Yes," she said with a nod. "Everyone is fine."

Luffy grinned so hard he winced in pain. "Thank you," he said with a sigh of relief. It was so good just to hear her say it.

He closed his eyes softly. "Everyone _except_ you," Robin continued, a hint of warning in her voice. Even Zoro had been impressed when he saw the state Luffy was in. "Do you have any idea how many injuries you have?"

Robin was standing over him, looking down with dark eyes. He shook his head. "Me neither," Robin countered. "I lost _count_."

"So long as everyone is safe," Luffy said quietly, his voice still raw and he felt lightheaded. Everything was so quiet and tranquil in the room that it felt wrong to even raise his voice.

"You pushed yourself too far," Robin chided with gentle concern.

He only shrugged, or tried to at least. "I would have gone further," he said honestly. "So long as everyone is safe."

Robin paused to stare at him. After a lifetime on the run, she had gotten pretty good at recognising duplicity and ulterior motives. It was still vaguely unnerving for her to look into the eyes of someone completely and utterly open and honest.

Slowly, she leant over further until her face was hovering over his. She could feel his breath on her lips, and then their mouths collided in a soft, tender kiss. She closed her eyes as she felt time pause for a brief, perfect moment. The feeling of ease flooded through her, and every muscle slumped slightly.

She pulled away carefully. Luffy didn't even look like he was breathing, but he was staring at her with awe. Robin smiled. "You're a good person."

Luffy grinned and shook his head. "You're a better one," he said earnestly.

His body protested with excruciating pain, but he still managed to lift his arm up until he held her hand in his. It was worth it. Robin rested down on the table next to him, while the quiet dropped comfortably over them.

The mood was ruined by Luffy's stomach growling. Wordlessly, Robin stood up, walked over to the kitchen and brought him back a snack bar hidden from Sanji's secret stash. The sugar tasted delicious, even as he washed it down with another glass of water. His back started to ache and his body groaned, but Robin was by his side throughout the night.

Luffy felt so content there was no other place he would rather be.

"You should go to sleep," he said finally, just a twinge of regret in his voice. "Don't stay awake because of me."

She shrugged. "I want to stay," she replied simply.

He grinned. The air was so still that you could have heard a pin drop. "My body _really_ hurts," he admitted after a pause.

Robin smiled sympathetically, her fingers tracing across his bandages softly. "Aww…" she said quietly. "I can help with that…"

Luffy barely even had time to react as Robin kicked off her shoes, and carefully climbed upwards onto the table, crawling across towards him. He stared in shock.

"What are you doing?" He asked uncertainly.

She just chuckled as she moved next to him, placing one leg across him until she was straddling his waist. Luffy's eyes widened as he stared upwards at her, smiling teasingly as she pushed her hair backwards.

"I'm making it better," Robin said in a hushed whisper, unfastening her shirt. The white shirt dropped behind her, revealing a curvaceous figure in a white, floral bra. Luffy suddenly realised that he had to manually breathe.

Robin couldn't help but smirk at his expression, even as she bent down towards him slowly. She was careful not to put any weight on his bandages, but he still felt the soft press of her breasts on his chest, and her body was so close he could feel her heartbeat. Her lips touched his, softly caressing his mouth with such affection it sent tingles down his spine.

Luffy's body still hurt, but now he had a half-naked, gorgeous woman hovering above him.

He gulped and nodded. "Yep," he said definitely. "This is better."

Robin laughed as they kissed again, slowly and with such passion that it made her body warm up. Her fingers traced across his bandages gently. The stink of the medicines on his skin was horrible, but she didn't care. Luffy was weak, sluggish and tired, but the feeling of her lips on his, her body close to him, send shivers down his back and caused his skin to tingle…

"Ow!" Robin exclaimed suddenly, flinching in shock.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asked urgently, eyes bulging, wincing with agony as he tried to move too fast. "What happened?"

She smiled. "No I'm fine," she said quickly. Her hair was slightly more frizzy than normal. "It's just… well… _static_."

Luffy looked dumbfounded for a moment, before realisation dawned. Around him, the air was crackling with electricity. "Oh," he said dumbly. "I'm so sorry…!"

She just shook her head. "Don't be," she said simply, pulling in for another kiss. The air sparked slightly but neither of them seemed to care. Or notice. "You've got absolutely nothing to be sorry about…"

* * *

The pirates sat out on the deck of the Going Merry, relaxing gently in the morning sun, while thinking intently about the dilemma they now faced. The crowd of worshippers hadn't faded. If anything, it had just gotten stronger. There were banner proclaiming Luffy as God, and every morning a group of worshippers approached the ship to prayer.

Zoro was recovering well; still heavily bandaged but Chopper had allowed him light exercise. He was working with a pair of dumbbells by the door, while Usopp, Vivi, Chopper, and Sanji lounged in deck chairs, looking out over the Skypieans. Everyone was deep in thought.

Finally, Usopp spoke, "How about we show them all Luffy's poop?"

Ok, so maybe not so deep. Vivi turned to stare at the sniper incredulously. "_What?!_"

"Think about it," Usopp said with a wide smile, as if he had just solved the whole problem. "They think that Luffy is god, we need to convince them otherwise. I refuse to believe that anyone could still worship Luffy after seeing his poop."

Chopper's eyes bulged. "Will that work?"

"Yep," Usopp said with a firm nod. "It's a well-known fact that gods don't poop."

Sanji sighed in despair. He knew he was going to regret the question, but he just had to ask. "Usopp… just how do you know what Luffy's poop is like?" The chef asked quietly.

Usopp just snorted. "Who do you _think_ unblocks the toilets around here?" He asked bitterly. "And you can tell Luffy's poop because he eats nothing but–"

"Oh no!" Vivi groaned, covering her face with her hands. She felt nauseous. "We are _not_ doing this. There is no way that we're going to talk about our captain's poop."

There was a moment's quiet. After a few seconds, Zoro got curious. "So how are we going to get a hold of Luffy's poop, anyways?"

Vivi stood up and quickly walked away from the conversation. Usopp just beamed. "Well, it doesn't _have_ to be Luffy's," the sniper said reasonably. "Any poop would do."

"So wait…" Sanji said slowly. "…Your plan is to throw poop at them until they leave us alone?"

"Exactly!"

There was a moment's pause. The imagery flashed around their heads.

"Usopp…" Sanji said after a while, completely serious. "From now on, you are forbidden to make plans. You suck at it."

"Well, I don't know," Zoro commented sarcastically. "It would drive them away pretty quickly."

Usopp's shoulders drooped. Chopper looked around them in confusion. "So are we going to –" The reindeer began.

"NO!" Both Sanji and Zoro screamed together.

The silence returned. After checking to make sure the coast was clear of any faeces-related conversations, Vivi came back, leaning over the balcony, head in hands, as she stared out at the Skypieans.

"We've got to do something about them," she said finally. "We can't just let them worship Luffy. It's wrong."

"Well, they are giving us the supplies to rebuild the ship," Zoro noted casually, pointing to the pile of offerings. "Plus, that stuff looks valuable."

Vivi turned to stare at the swordsman in shock. "We can't take that!" She protested. "It's taking advantage of them! It's completely and utterly immoral!"

A few seconds later, Nami stormed out of the Going Merry. She was wearing a nightgown, tiredly yawning as she rubbed her eyes. She walked straight over to the edge of the ship and yelled across the railing.

"Hey!" The navigator shouted loudly to the congregation. "God demands a new dress, a cute pair of shoes, a purse and some tangerine-scented perfume!"

Vivi's mouth dropped open. Nami just smirked as the screams of 'Yes priestess!' resonated from the crowd. It was slightly unsettling how readily Nami had adjusted to having a crowd of devoted followers.

"Nami!" Vivi shouted in shock.

The navigator just looked confused. "What?"

"You can't make demands like that!"

"Why not?" She protested. "They want to help!"

"Only because they're terrified their going to get hit by _lightning_ if they don't!" Vivi retorted. Years of serving under Enel had really messed up the psyche of the Skypieans. "You're taking advantage of their fear and turning them into slaves!"

Nami pouted miserably. "_Fine_," she said reluctantly, before turning back to crowd and yelling. "It doesn't _have_ to be tangerine-scented!"

"_That's not what I meant!_"

The pair started bickering instantly, only interrupted by Sanji excitedly attempting to serve them drinks. Slowly, the morning started to stretch out in a warm, idle silence. Usopp returned to trying to fix up the Going Merry, joined by Chopper eagerly trying to help. Zoro just sighed as he leant against the deck tiredly, scratching at his bandages as he lifted the dumbbells with his eyes closed.

Eventually, Zoro was the only one left outside on the deck. He was half asleep as his arms moved by themselves, exercising gently. In the distance, the sounds of frenzied shouting and scuffling erupted at the edge of the Skypiean camp. Zoro frowned but didn't open his eyes.

The shouting only got louder and more frenzied. Then, the ground started to rumble and a thunderous hiss cut through the air.

"What's going on?!" Nami demanded, rushing out of the ship. Reluctantly, Zoro opened his eyes, only to glance at the chaos erupting over the island.

At the edge of the Skypiean camp, a huge plume of smoke was cutting through the worshippers, tossing them out of the way. Further in the distance, a thrashing shape tore through earth and trees in primal rage. Zoro just sighed exasperatedly.

"It looks like Smoker is coming to arrest us again," Zoro muttered with mild annoyance, before glancing up to the writhing monster approaching over the horizon. "And that giant python is awake and going berserk."

The Skypieans were running for cover. The python was so humungous that even at this distance the shadow loomed over the entire ship. Usopp was just about to start to brag, and then the python hissed madly and the sniper ended up transforming into a toad out of fear. Nami's face paled. Zoro just kept on working out.

"What are you waiting for?!" Nami screeched at the swordsman. "Go take care of this!"

He shrugged. "Too much effort," he said dismissively.

"Don't worry, Nami!" Sanji screamed eagerly, rushing out in front. "Ignore that shitty swordsman, I'll take care of this! Stay close to me, I will protect–"

The python thrashed its tail, and the earth rumbled so ferociously that they all dropped to the ground. The writhing cloud of smoke was pluming closer, and Nami glimpsed Smoker in the middle of it. The captain was limping, but looked angrier than she had ever seen him.

_The mast is broken_, she realised with dread. They couldn't even get away…

Around them, everyone was screaming. Somehow, the quiet voice still managed to cut through the noise. Slowly, the door open gradually and a figure limped out slowly.

"Hey guys," Luffy greeted quietly, glancing curiously towards the giant snake bearing down on them. "How's it going?"

Nami's mouth dropped. The captain was covered head to toe in bandages, and his body looked frighteningly thin and fragile. He had to use a piece of wood as a crutch just to stand up, but Robin was still next to him, holding the captain upwards.

"Luffy…!" Nami screamed, just as his face break into mad grin.

"Luffy!" Chopper scolded, his doctor's instincts temporarily overpowering his fear. "You should be resting!"

"It's alright," Luffy said weakly, limping across the splintered deck. Robin was by his side, supporting every step. "I could use a bit of exercise."

The plume of smoke was swirling around the ship. Nami was just about to scream at him to run, but then Luffy's hand gently pressed against his shoulder as he passed.

"Don't worry," he said quietly. "I'll take care of this."

His body was so weak and frail it was a wonder he was still alive, let alone moving. Every step looked like a goliath task. Still, Nami met his eyes, and then suddenly she completely and utterly believed that he could handle it. There was a fire in his gaze that simply refused to be extinguished.

Slowly, the air began to crackle with electricity.

"I will not allow you to escape!" Smoker screamed loudly, pushing Skypieans to the side with tendrils of smoke. He was still pale from blood loss, but after removing the bullet and a couple of day's recovery he was at least ready to fight again. "You pirates are coming with m–"

The crack of thunder took them all off guard. Luffy appeared in front of the captain in a flash of lightning. Smoker reacted instinctively and lashed out with a vicious whip. Luffy's movements were almost lazy as he extended a hand in front of the whipping coil of smoke.

And the whole world seemed to halt as his fingers wrapped tightly around Smoker's arms.

The captain's mouth dropped. He could suddenly feel the grip of Luffy's fingers against his flesh and bone. His attack had been blindingly fast, yet Luffy hadn't even appeared to exert himself. He was suddenly staring into Luffy's eyes, and there was an intensity there that sent tingles down Smoker's spine.

_He can touch me… and this willpower…_ Smoker thought dumbly, his mind reeling. The presence was enough to make his head spin. _…Can he use Haki now?!_

Luffy gradually tightened his grip, just to prove a point. Around him, the air was crackling gently.

"Give it up, Smoker," Luffy said quietly. His voice wasn't threatening or angry, but more like a cautionary warning. "Just let it go already."

The seconds felt like hours. _He has the power of the Rumble Rumble fruit and mastery over Haki_, Smoker realised. Luffy was injured, but there was an absolute certainty running through him that it wouldn't be enough.

_I… I can't beat him…_ The very thought was like a punch to the gut.

Gently, Luffy let go of Smoker's arm and started to limp away, wincing painfully with every step. Smoker was left standing as still as a statue, eyes staring at Luffy in shock, even as the giant python lunged towards them. The snake carved a crater through the ground as the giant fangs snapped towards the Going Merry.

Luffy glanced towards the huge monster with a flash of annoyance. "Oi," he muttered quietly, eyes blazing. "**Stop**."

The power dropped out of sky like a hammer. The whole area pulsed with insane force. Skypieans dropped unconscious to the ground, while every sound seemed to disappear. The power of Luffy's raw willpower seemed to freeze everything.

The giant python halted instantly. It wasn't hissing anymore. Two snake eyes bulged with dread, and if it was possible for a snake to sweat, then this snake was sweating now. Luffy just glared at the monster.

"You're not going hurt anyone," Luffy said warningly, his eyes unblinking. "I will be _very_ upset if you eat any of the people here."

No one made a move. Luffy just frowned. "_**You will not hurt them**_," he repeated, as the air pulsed again. "_Is that understood?!_"

The python seemed to shudder, the monstrous hundred foot body trembling slightly. Even if it couldn't understand human languages, the force and meaning behind Luffy's voice was unmistakable. Every syllable of Luffy's voice seemed to trigger some primal instinct that warned that, maybe just this time, it would be advisable not to eat the little two legs.

All animals instinctively knew that it was a bad idea to oppose a force of nature.

Luffy's body relaxed slightly as he felt the quiet obedience settle over the snake. Luffy could _feel_ everything. It was like he could feel the snake's presence in his mind, and he could sense the primal thoughts writhing within the monster. Luffy frowned as he focused further on the presence, and then he slowly realised that python was a mess of emotions and hurt.

This snake is angry, hurt and suffering, Luffy realised with a twinge of empathy. It has lasted something precious and it is lashing out…

Luffy's gaze softened as placed a comforting hand on the python's snout. "It'll be alright," he muttered under his breath, before shouting louder. "Chopper!"

The doctor shook out of his trance at the sound of his name. The rest of the crew were all staring at Luffy with various degrees of awe. "Yes?" Chopper squealed.

"Come treat this snake!" Luffy shouted. "It is in a lot of pain. The stomach, I think."

That psychopath was inside the python, Luffy remembered. Who knew what damage Marcus did as he crawled out?

Chopper hesitated with few. Luffy just turned to him and laughed. "Don't worry!" He said brightly. "She's not going to eat you. She was just a bit angry because she was hurt, but it's all going to be better now."

The doctor gulped, saluted and then rushed to fetch his medicine kit. The giant python seemed to calm down at Luffy's words. Robin approached Luffy slowly, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and acted as a crutch as he limped back up the Going Merry.

"It's alright, guys!" Luffy said with a grin, calling out to the Skypieans who were only just starting to wake up. The snake looked like she was falling asleep on the ground. Smoker was still trying to recover himself, staring at Luffy in shock and amazement. "No one is going to hurt you!"

"Settle down," Robin whispered playfully in his ear. "You're still injured."

His grin only widened as he glanced at her. "I'll live," he promised quietly.

Just as they exited the gangway, Luffy's stomach growled angrily. "But I am _really_ hungry…" he added with a wince. Robin chuckled.

Around them, there was a frantic rush of movement as hundreds of Skypieans hurriedly rushed to prepare a meal for their new God. The silence was broken by a panicked urgency as every angel tried desperately to search for a stove in the wrecked camp.

The pirates just kept on staring at the scene with gaping mouths. The python looked as calm as a humongous, three hundred feet long, scaly kitten with venomous fangs. Smoker hesitated slightly, before glancing at Luffy's shape and slowly walking away. Within seconds, the air was filled with the overpowering smell of rapidly cooking meat.

On the Going Merry, everyone was still speechless. After a few minutes, it was Usopp that finally broke the silence.

"You know…" Usopp muttered, rubbing his eyes. "If we want to try an convince them that Luffy isn't a God… then he's really got stop doing things like _that_."

* * *

The party started early in the morning with piles of meat and food. It lasted until midnight, as a huge bonfire erupted in front of the ship, and booze was served and music started playing. Chopper spent most of the day treating the python's injuries, but by nightfall the giant snake was dancing across the group, hissing a song of its own.

Even Enel's Enforcers joined in on the celebration. The Birkans had been living in fear of the tyrant as much as anyone, and any resentment seemed to fade with every song.

By nightfall, the Shandorians slowly approached and took part. The raiders were hesitant at first, but then Usopp, in toad form, started to sing a very croaky melody and the party spirit was so infectious that they couldn't help but join in. Wiper lingered at the rear of the group, casting a suspicious eye over the party. The berserker didn't join in, but he didn't oppose it either, leaving him to stew broodingly in his own thoughts as he watched the celebration.

Luffy was at the centre of the crowd. Every Skypiean huddled around him, offering food and praying at his feet. Somehow, Robin didn't think he actually realised that they all were worshipping him as God. He thought they were just being really friendly.

Robin spent the whole day next to Luffy. He was still too injured to really take part, but he laughed and smiled louder than anyone. In the chaos and darkness, no one noticed that she wrapped her arm around his waist gently. Whenever Luffy was given a particularly succulent piece of food, he always offered it to Robin first. Their touches lingered on each other, tender and soft.

Towards the end, Conis appeared and sat quietly next to Vivi. The slender girl was pale with blood-red eyes, but she wasn't crying anymore. She looked like she had ran out of tears.

The party started to die down once the food ran out, but it was well past midnight by then. It lasted a bit longer on booze alone, but between Nami's and Zoro's drinking competition that never really lasted long.

Luffy's painkillers wore off eventually, and even the euphoria high started fade. His eyes were drooping slightly, while Robin took his hand and stole a brief kiss while no one was looking. He grinned softly even as he looked like he was about to collapse.

As Robin carefully helped him stagger upwards and put him to bed in a large tent donated by the Skypieans, her heart fluttered as she realised it had been years since she had had so much fun, or felt so at ease.

Outside, the party was dying down quickly. Most of the people were unconscious or retreating for the night. Even the giant snake had collapsed from exhaustion. Robin paused outside of Luffy's tent, taking a deep breath as she pressed her hand to her heart.

Around her, a group of women hesitantly approached the tent. They were all young, attractive, and wearing white robes. Robin recognised them as the devotees that used to serve Enel in God's Shrine.

"Can I help you?" Robin asked after a pause.

A young blond cleared her throat, staring at Robin with wide eyes. "Priestess, we're here to serve God Luffy."

She looked at the group critically. "'God' Luffy is out for the night," Robin said with a touch of sarcasm.

"No, erm…" The young girl hesitated, glancing around bashfully at her companions. "…We're concubines. We're here to _serve_ God Luffy."

The air turned quiet. Robin counted to ten before replying. "Your 'services' will not be needed," she said in the sweetest voice she could manage, but her eyes were far from friendly.

The girls looked at each other, milling around like lost little lambs. After a brief moment's hesitation, Robin sighed and pointed them in the direction of Sanji.

_The next morning…_

Luffy groaned weakly as he woke up. His body was aching more than ever, but it was his head that was absolute agony. As soon as he came back to conscious, he was hit by a torrent of thoughts, emotions and feelings. It felt like someone was screaming in his skull.

The voices and presences were overwhelming.

He blinked as he tried to process his surroundings. He was in a tent, sleeping on a soft mattress as the early morning light flittered through the fabric. The memories of last night were crystal clear; but the high of the party had vanished, leaving only tattered muscles, broken bones, and a throbbing skull.

He couldn't even make sense of what he was sensing. There were too many people swarming, all bleeding together into an intense noise. He could feel his friends clearly, like they were tattoos on his skin; Zoro was quite far away but the others were nearby, yet everyone else was just noise. Luffy groaned in agony, before realising who he needed to talk to.

Luffy staggered upwards weakly, wincing with every slight movement, as he stumbled outside. The remains of the party still littered the ground, surrounding a giant burnt out bonfire, while the giant snake wrapped around the campsite. Luffy limped slowly through the camp, until finally he recognised the small dark shape sleeping on the ground.

Aisa had cut her hair shorter, but otherwise she looked exactly how Luffy remembered. She had spent most of the party either with Laki or Robin, eating and dancing with the best of them, yet there had been too much going on for them to talk. The petite Shandorian girl stirred slightly as Luffy approached, while Luffy dropped down to sit cross-legged next to her.

"Ugh…" Aisa murmured, before glancing towards Luffy. Her eyes widened. "Luffy!"

"Hey there," he said with a smile, still rubbing his skull. As soon as she awoke, Luffy recognised Aisa's presence touching his.

Aisa recognised it too. Suddenly, she could hear Luffy's voice, but now Luffy wasn't deaf. Her mouth dropped open.

"You can hear the voices too!" She shouted loudly. Around her, the other Shandorians stirred.

Luffy nodded. "It's more a feeling than a voice to me, though," he muttered weakly. "But it's just so _loud_…"

Aisa smiled softly. Luffy looked at her curiously. "Is this what you feel all the time?"

"It gets easier," Aisa said sympathetically. "I can't block it out, but I can, well, I think I can focus it…"

Luffy hesitated for half a second. "Could you teach me?"

Zoro paced across the ground impatiently. He was standing at the edge of the island, looking out at the chasm that now cut Upper Yard into two. His fingers were twitching as he fiddled with the bandages across his chest. Chopper would probably mummify him if he took them off again, but that was the least of his worries right now.

With everyone else knocked out from the party, it would be a while before they realised he was missing. Still, Zoro only had a limited amount of time…

There was a rustling from the bushes. Zoro jumped, instantly alert, just as he glimpsed as slender figure emerge out of the foliage. Zoro felt his heart almost skip.

Tashigi panted heavily as she approached. Her chin length dark hair was slightly frizzled, and she wore a light brown tank top that hugged her figure generously. Her dark jeans clutched her hips, supported by thick belt that held Shigure. Her clothes were unwashed and a bit dirty, but neither of them cared.

"How long do you have?" Zoro asked with a pause.

She shook her head. "Not long."

There was no hesitation. In an instant, Zoro darted across the distance, wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips against hers. Tashigi's body folded into his instantly, her chest pressing against him as she wrapped her hands around his head and returned the kiss. Her body shivered with every caress, while Zoro's mouth smooched against hers with fierce intensity.

After what seemed like a lifetime, they pulled away from each other to breathe, but they were standing so close that they were staring straight into each other's eyes. Tashigi gulped as she pulled her glasses off.

"Let's make the most of it, then," Zoro muttered, as his hands dropped downwards to her hips.

Tashigi gasped as he lifted her off the ground, but then her legs wrapped around his torso while Zoro lifted her backwards. She collided with the rough bark of a tree roughly, leaning backwards as he pushed against with a stream of wanton kisses. She couldn't help but moan while Zoro's mouth moved down her neck, kissing and nipping the skin softly.

Ever since the first morning, Zoro snuck away from Going Merry, while Tashigi escaped from camp. They collided with each other in this area, and after that they'd been meeting each other here at every opportunity. Sometimes they'd come to fight and sometimes they'd come to make out.

Frequently, they came to do both.

The thrill pounded through Zoro. There were no words other than short gasps and choppy breaths, but there was absolutely nothing that needed to be said. Tashigi's hands roamed across his back, her fingers scratching lightly at his skin, while she kissed him passionately. Her lean legs wrapped around his torso tightly, leaving Zoro's hands free to caress her skin, tracing the ridges of her muscles with his fingertips, from her hips up to her collarbone.

They were so close they could feel every tremor and sensation flicker between them. Tashigi could feel the heat rising between her thighs, causing her whole body to sweat. Their hearts were pounding furiously, beating in tandem with every kiss and touch. Zoro had to stifle a groan when Tashigi broke away from his lips to kiss down his neck, while her fingers slowly moved across to unbutton his shirt. Zoro responded by lifting her tank top up over her head, taking the opportunity to pull her backwards and drop her lightly over the ground.

The kiss became even more heated as they ran their fingers over the other's barechest. Tashigi was wearing a pink, plain bra, yet her generous cleavage still pressed against him so closely he could feel the point of her nipples. She kept on kissing down his sternum, feeling the ridges of his gloriously muscled chest. Her hands groped across his abs, running up and down body, even gingerly tracing the jagged line of his scar.

Tashigi's body was lean and slender, but still muscled and well-toned. Zoro wrapped his arms around her as he leant over her, pressing her close to him as he kissed him passionately. Tashigi's glasses clattered to the ground next to her. Her eyes were closed and her face was blushed bright red, but there was absolutely no doubt or hesitation in her hungry kisses. The morning air was cool, but the sweat still dripped between them.

Ever since the first night, it had become harder and harder to sneak out of the marine camp. Tashigi reckoned she had forty minutes until they would realise she was missing. Still, it was nearly an hour before she could even thought about going back.

The initial passion faded slowly, until Zoro was lying on the uncomfortable ground with his arms wrapped around her. They were both still wearing trousers. Tashigi felt his biceps press against her, as she snuggled into him cosily. Her body felt limp, folding around Zoro until they were pressing together. It was so hard to even gather up the energy to move. It was a while before either of them said a word.

"I've got to go," Tashigi said quietly after a while. Still, she never made a move.

Zoro nodded, lightly kissing the back of her neck. Tashigi bit her lip. She had managed to ignore any doubts or fears in the passion, but as it started to wind down it was like reality seemed to creep back in.

"You know I'm still a marine, right?" She snapped, rolling off him slowly. "The next time I see I'm going to arrest you!"

Zoro grinned. "You're _welcome_ to try," he said with such a mischievous smile that it made her blush.

Tashigi pulled on her shirt quickly. Zoro pulled himself off the ground, but stayed bare-chested. There was an awkward pause.

"When will I see you again?" Zoro asked quietly.

"Whenever I can get away," she said, almost bashfully. There was an unspoken tension between them that seemed to stir every time they weren't exploring each other's bodies. "It's getting harder to get away."

"If Smoker tries to lock you up again," Zoro promised, completely serious. "I will cut through that place to bust you out."

Tashigi didn't respond. They both knew what the issue that lay between them, but neither of them had brought it up yet. Perhaps they were both scared of what the answer would be. Zoro's hands clenched as he decided he had to face the issue head on.

"Luffy's awake now. We're making repairs on the ship," he explained. "It wouldn't be long before we have to leave."

Tashigi turned to stare at him with wide eyes. Zoro took a deep breath. "So then…" he continued, forcing his voice to stay steady. "…Which ship do you want to be on when we leave?"

* * *

In the interest of getting the ship repaired quickly, Vivi had reluctantly agreed to hold off educating the Skypieans until they had the supplies they needed. As she watched Nami standing at the front of a column of soldiers, screaming orders as they dragged an enormous object across the ground on rolling logs, Vivi started to regret her decision.

Usopp stood next to her, in toad form. The giant toad was wearing trousers, but was bare-chested revealing a back covered in huge warts. Usopp had been getting better and transforming between human and toad, but he had yet to manage his hybrid form.

"What's all this?!" Usopp exclaimed loudly, his mouth dropping open. "You were meant to be getting _wood_ for the repairs!"

Nami's grin was wider than Vivi had ever seen. "Wood?" Nami responded happily. "Oh, this is much better than wood!"

The block of gold was enormous. It took dozens of Skypieans just to lift it, yet the chunk of metal was so large it was nearly half the size of the Going Merry itself. Part of the dull yellow metal had been mangled by the heat and crash, but most of it was still whole. At the front, it was carved into the shape of a giant face.

Nami was nearly jumping for joy. It was more gold than she had ever seen in her life, and she could tell instantly that it was of a superb purity. The gold from the ancient city had been outstandingly high quality, and Enel had refined it even further when he built his ship.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Nami shouted excitedly. "We got it from that wreck over there, and guess what? _There's even more of it!_"

She pointed to the distance, where the scorched skeleton of the Arc Maxim dominated the clearing in the forest. The wood had been turned to cinders and much of the machinery was destroy, but there had still been a large treasuries' worth of gold scattered around the debris. It was a treasure trove.

Around them, the Skypieans heaved the block of gold towards the Going Merry. Usopp's elongated pupils widened as he saw the size of it compared to the ship. Usopp and Vivi shared a glance before turning to Nami.

"Um… Nami…?" Vivi said hesitantly. "There's too much gold there…"

Nami stared at her as if she had gone insane. There was absolutely no such thing as 'too much' gold as far as Nami was considered.

Usopp sighed. "The ship is never going to be able to carry all of that," he explained cautiously. "Even after the repairs, the weight alone will make the Merry sink as soon as we load it."

"Well, you've got do better repairs," Nami ordered irritably, hand on her hips. "Make modifications, or whatever. There's still at least twice that amount of gold that we've got to load up."

The toad rubbed his eyes tiredly. Vivi took a step backwards. "But… but…!" Usopp stammered. "That gold weighs more than Going Merry itself! We'd never be able to take it all! We've got to leave some behind!"

Nami's eyes darkened. "Usopp," she said, deadly serious. "I will leave _crew members_ behind before I leave my gold."

He was just about to argue, before he frowned. "Wait, what do you mean '_your'_ gold?"

Nami waved her hand dismissively. "We'll talk about that later," she said simply. "Right now you've just got to work on finding a way to carry my gold. Build another ship if you have to."

His mouth dropped. "I'm a _sniper_. Sni – p – er," he said slowly. "Not a shipwright! How the hell am I meant to build a ship to carry all that?!"

The navigator frowned. Usopp stared at the gold in despair. "Besides, a ship wouldn't even do it," he muttered. Gold was about as buoyant as an anchor. Even a galleon would have trouble lifting all that. "Nothing that heavy would ever float."

There was a pause. Vivi gasped as inspiration stuck suddenly. "Wait, what if we use Dials?" The princess suggested. "Skypieans use Dials for everything, why not put Dials on the Merry so that we can carry the gold?"

Usopp scratched his head, deep in thought. "Well, maybe," he conceded. "But where the hell are we going to get enough Dials to lift a whole ship off the groun–"

As one, they all turned to the skeletal wreck of the Arc Maxim. Realisation hit them.

"_Oh…!_" All three exclaimed together.

A few hours later, there was a small mountain of gold piled in front of the ship, so heavy that even the ground cracked beneath it. Usopp was left chasing around the crash site, trying to gather any surviving Dial that he could find. Eventually, he had a bag filled with Dials slung over his back that was so large he couldn't even jump.

Usopp felt like crying as he realised the size of the task. He had a ruined ship, a king's ransom worth of gold, and hundreds of Dials that he had absolutely no experience using. It was enough to make him cry.

_And I'm not even a shipwright_, he thought in despair. Somehow, the crew still thought that he was enough to do the ship all by himself. With the amount of damage they got into, Usopp suspected that it would take at least two shipwrights just to keep the ship working.

After a few minutes of staring, Usopp had to put a webbed foot down. "Ok, we're in trouble," he announced finally to an impatient Nami. "Even _if_ I can do the repairs – and that's a big if – there's no way that I can use all of these Dials."

Many of the Dials were cracked and broken. Usopp never even knew what most of them did. As far as he could tell, they were all just seashell shaped mysteries.

"We're going to need someone to handle this," he explained with a sigh while Nami pouted. "We're going to need a Dial Mechanic or someth–"

"I'll do it."

The sudden statement took them all off guard. Conis was suddenly walking down the gangway, staring determinedly at the Dials. "I'll make the repairs on your ship," she said in a firm voice. "I can do it."

No one spoke. Conis was wearing one of Nami's old shirts, slightly too big for her skinny frame but it still wasn't long enough to cover the crisscrossing wounds covering her chest and arms. The injuries from her fight with Yama were as raw as ever, and one of Conis' short wings had been shredded into a stump. The girl was pale and with bloodshot eyes from crying so much, and Nami was suddenly struck by how frail she looked. Still, there was a spark of determination in Conis' eyes, and she wasn't crying anymore.

Nami felt her heart break as she remembered how she had suffered after Bellmere had died. "Conis…" Nami said softly, touching the angel's arm lightly. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I can use Dials," Conis said simply, not quite answering the question. "My father taught me how."

No one spoke. Conis took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "My father's last words were for me to be strong," she said quietly. "And I don't want to be weak anymore. I'm sick of being afraid."

Conis looked at Nami firmly. "I can be your Dial Mechanic," she said. "And in return you've got to take me with you when you leave."

Nami looked at her in surprise. Conis just clenched her fists and continued. "… And also…" Conis said determinedly. "I want a Devil fruit."

* * *

By the time the dusk settled over Upper Yard, the repairs were already beginning. The Going Merry had to be lifted out of the water, settled on its side, while the debris and wood was shipped away. Luffy managed to convince the giant python to help them lift the ship. No one was quite sure how he managed that.

Chopper had actually become good friends with the snake. The doctor was the only one who could actually understand what the python was saying, and listened compassionately as the snake introduced herself as Nola, and told them about her past, and dancing beneath the golden bell. Nola even let Chopper walk into her mouth to stitch up the torn stomach lining, although Luffy watched keenly to ensure that Chopper came out again.

Conis spent the time working hard with Usopp, fixing the ship plank by plank. She didn't rest and barely ate, but there was an unspoken understanding that working was her way of moving on from her father's death. The crew politely kept their distance and let her grief.

Eventually, the 'Pegasus' Pierre flew down into the camp. Sanji served the bird a large meal, and Pierre spent the rest of the time playing with Carue. Luffy realised that the bird was lonely after Gan Fall's death, yet then McKinley approached and the White Beret captain promised solemnly to take care of him.

Robin and Aisa spent most of their time together too, even if she had to report back to the Shandorian camp to confirm everything was safe. The girl sat at the corner of the camp, while Robin braided her hair carefully. Luffy watched them for a long time, slowly remembering that Aisa's parents had died when she was young.

Zoro was away for most of the time, but even across the island Luffy could feel his presence clearly. Luffy's nearly awakened sixth sense was still mostly white noise, but he was slowly starting to make sense of it.

The 'Berserker' Wiper sat quietly on the hill overlooking the camp, wondering quietly what to do next. It was not a pleasant thought.

The Skypieans were on the Shandorians' side of the island, but there was already an agreement that they would leave as soon as the ship was repaired. The marines were still trespassing over Upper Yard, but they had returned to their camp at the far side and everyone seemed willing to let them stay there. As a matter of fact, no one really wanted any more bloodshed. There was no will left to fight.

For the first time in four hundred years, Skypiea was a piece. The Shandorians had reclaimed the ancient city, and right now everyone was too focused on making the ruins liveable again. For the first time, the Shandorians had left the cloud wasteland, and were now living peaceful on the soil of their ancestors. It was everything they'd ever fought for. Gan Fall had ensured lasting peace when he split the island.

_So why then_, Wiper thought darkly, _am I so miserable?_

Wiper was now the chief of a peaceful village. His biggest concerns were now harvests and rain forecasts. And he despised. Slowly, he began to realise that he had never really wanted the war to end.

He _loved_ the battle. He loved the bloodlust. It had been all that he had ever lived for, and he _needed_ it. Wiper had always been fighting for the battle, not for the victory. It wasn't an easy realisation to accept. He sat quietly in the darkness, staring at the camp with growing fury.

_Now I have a choice_, he thought quietly, taking a deep breath. _I could be chief. Put down my bazooka for a staff. I could marry Laki, raise children, live as a farmer or something. It'd be a pretty happy life. Everyone else would be happy. Even my own warriors have lives outside of battle._

_And I'd be miserable_. The very thought of living without battle made his stomach churn. Perhaps if the golden bell was still around he would stay to fulfil his promise to his ancestors, but now that promise had been rendered moot.

_I'm a Berserker_, Wiper thought sullenly, standing up with a wince of pain. _Not a chief…_

_And my battle isn't over yet._

His injuries still hurt, but Wiper had never been one to sit around recovering. He clutched his spear tightly, limping slowly down the hill with his shield in his other hand. With a deep breath, Wiper placed his bull headed mask on as he focused on his target sitting around the bonfire.

In the camp, Luffy, Sanji and Robin said around the bonfire. Luffy was still resting, but there was still a group milling around him at all times. A woman approached with a new-born baby, dropped to her knees and begged Luffy to name the child. Luffy just laughed, thought for a while and suggested the name 'Sabo'. The woman looked delighted, praising Luffy as 'his holiness' before she retreated.

"Wow," Luffy commented after she left. "That's nice. These people are _really_ friendly."

Somehow, he still had no idea that the Skypieans were worshipping him as God. He thought that all the people offering him food, praying at his feet, and praising him at every moment was just the Skypiaeans being nice.

Sanji and Zoro glanced at each other, before deciding to stay quiet.

After a pause, Zoro frowned at Sanji, remembering a rumour Tashigi told him. "Say, chef," Zoro asked cautiously, dropping any insult. "Is it true that you and that Marine captain hooked up?"

Luffy's mouth dropped. "Huh?!" He exclaimed loudly, staring at Sanji. "_You and Smoker?!_"

Both Sanji and Zoro reacted together, eyes bulging in shock and glaring at Luffy. "_Idiot_!" They screamed, slamming their feet into Luffy's face. The captain fell backwards to the floor.

"I'm taking about the _other_ captain," Zoro hissed. "That Hina woman."

Sanji took a deep breath and composed himself, lighting a cigarette with a smirk. "A gentleman…" he said coolly. "…Doesn't tell."

Luffy and Zoro nodded and turned away. Sanji looked disappointed that they weren't going to push him for further details. "However…" Sanji continued hopefully. "I would consider drawing pictures. Has anyone seen my 'cookery book'?"

Zoro glared at him, and it looked like an argument was about to begin. Zoro never even managed to open his mouth before a sharp shape blurred past them.

The spear flew with pinpoint accuracy. Luffy never even had time to blink as the wooden weapon slammed straight towards his forehead, but this his skin dissolved into lightning and the spear thudded into the ground behind him. Luffy frowned.

The shape barrelled into the trio with force. Sanji took a Jet powered foot to the chest while Zoro was knocked away with a shield to the face. Luffy didn't even react as the masked figure drew a flaming sword and lunged, but then Luffy recognised the presence.

"Oh," he said simply. "It's you."

Wiper roared as he lashed the blade in a vicious assault. Luffy just casually dodged every blow with slow, pre-emptive movements while the raider attacked furiously. Luffy looked mildly annoyed rather than angry.

"Quit it!" He said dismissively, raising a hand. The spark of lightning was enough to send Wiper clattering backwards into the ground.

Zoro and Sanji hand already recovered, glaring at Wiper angrily. Luffy just put his hands in his pockets as he stared at the raider, but strangely he didn't feel any killing intent coming from Wiper towards him.

"What was that for?" Luffy asked curiously.

Wiper growled as he pulled himself upwards. The lightning strike had stunned him more than hurt. Enel had always thrown lightning around with the intent to burn; Luffy's attack felt more like a mild spark. Zoro's swords were at his neck, but Wiper ignored them.

"I had to make sure," Wiper said simply, glaring at Luffy.

"Make sure what?" Zoro demanded.

"Make sure that _he_ is different from Enel," Wiper snapped. "I will not allow _another_ tyrant God."

Luffy paused for a second as he looked into Wiper's eyes. "It's alright Zoro, Sanji," Luffy said simply. "He's not going to hurt anyone."

After a moment's hesitation, Sanji and Zoro stood down. Zoro glared at Wiper distrustfully, but followed Luffy's orders. The captain had already turned his back on the raider, while Sanji and Zoro dropped to the ground slowly.

Wiper hesitated, still glaring at Luffy. "_Pirate_," he shouted irritably, dropping his sword and shield. "You've taken something precious away from me."

Luffy looked at him. "I'm really sorry about the bell," he said earnestly.

"Not the bell," Wiper snapped. "You took _my_ war."

He frowned. Wiper just frowned and continued. "That was _my_ war that you ended when you killed Enel," Wiper growled. "And now I'm going to have to look for a new battle. You owe me."

Luffy didn't respond. Wiper glared. "I'm joining your crew when you leave here," Wiper said firmly, in a tone that left no room for discussion. "It's time I went down to the Blue Sea."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The sky was a big place. The Sky Islands hovered in the air, floating in the gentle wind across the Grand Line. The scientists of Weatheria dedicated their lives to mapping the patterns of wind, constantly shifting as the different Sky Islands moved closer together or further apart. Occasionally, the Sky Islands collided with each other so closely it was possible to travel between them.

On one particular Sky Island, the white clouds were stained with red.

"So…" Doflamingo muttered with a wide grin, staring out over the horizon. "... How many Sky Islands are there, anyways?"

No one responded. Doflamingo turned to stare at his captives, who were completely motionless. The monks were hung up in a net of strings, their white robes stained with blood. Doflamingo frowned. Perhaps they had finally died from blood loss.

He was standing in the courtyard in front of old monastery, its crumbling stone walls nearly falling off the edge of the floating cloud. The small island was a peaceful place filled with monks living quiet lives, growing herbs and vegetables in their gardens. Or at least, it had been, before Doflamingo had arrived.

Overall, his trip to the sky was proving to be a disappointment. Sure, the sights were beautiful and the scenery was amazing, but flying through that cloud layer had been cold, wet and disorientating. Even worse, was that so far the most entertainment Doflamingo had were these monks, who had no will to fight. They were as weak as little sheep waiting to die.

Curiously, Doflamingo turned to the last remaining member survivor of the monastery. _Well_, Doflamingo conceded, _most of them were weak_…

"You bastard!" The monk roared, glaring at the bodies of his fallen brothers. His robes were covered in blood, and tears were pouring down his cheeks. "I will kill you for this!"

"Whoa, tough guy here!" Doflamingo laughed, as the huge monk thrashed against the strings holding him to the ground. The monk was a beast of a man; with hulking muscles and a thick bushy beard, contrasting clearly against the rest of the monastery. While everyone else had refused to fight, this one tried to wrestle Doflamingo to the ground and crush him with a massive pillar.

_Urouge_, Doflamingo recalled vaguely. The monk's name was Urouge.

The monastery was actually a settlement inhabited by the refugees from Birka, who had fled the Sky Island shortly before the mad god Enel demolished the place. The monks lived a quiet life of peace and tranquillity, with the exception of Urouge who longed for battle and excitement. As a matter of fact, Urouge had recently been excommunicated from the monastery as the 'Mad Monk', and had been about to head down to the Blue Sea in search for adventure.

Doflamingo arrived before that could happen. Now, Urouge's entire family had been slaughtered in front of him, and the man vowed vengeance on Doflamingo.

"_I will rip you in half!_" Urouge bellowed, even despite the strings biting into his flesh.

"Hold on now," Doflamingo chuckled, completely unconcerned. "I need directions from you. Let me get my bearings here; there are two settlements on this Sky Island; 'Skypiea' and this monastery. There's the island of Birka to the west, though that's a wasteland, and Weatheria floating around nearby. Also a couple of other islands floating around, yeah? We're on the edge of the White Sea now, and further up there's the White White Sea, right?"

Urouge didn't reply. He was screaming bloody murder as he thrashed against his bonds. "Ok, so I've been flying around sky for a week now," Doflamingo explained. "I've been all the way to the Summit of High West out in the distance looking for a certain pirate crew, but I never realised that there's _another_ layer to this Sky Island. So I want to get to 'Skypiea', which direction do I go?"

The monk spat a bloody chunk of saliva at Doflamingo's feet. The Warlord just scoffed. "Well, that's just _rude_," Doflamingo muttered, before slamming his foot into Urogue's face. The large man collapsed to the ground from the impact. "You know what? I can figure it out myself."

Doflamingo started to waddle away with an arrogant laugh. Urouge glared at him, his meaty fingers crunching through stone. "I will not allow you to escape!" Urouge bellowed. "I will destroy you!"

The monk's body bulged. He was bleeding heavily, but suddenly the wounds started to close as his muscles expanded. The veins throbbed on Urouge's forehead. "_Karma Exposure!_" He screamed, just as his muscles ripped through his white robes.

Doflamingo raised an eyebrow. Urouge was clambering off the ground, showing no sign of his previous injuries, all the while his body kept on rippling. His muscles expanded until he was a small giant, every tendon and vein bulging out of his skin.

A maniacal smile broke across Urouge's lips as he leapt at Doflamingo. "I. WILL. CRUSH. YOU!" He screamed with insane fury.

Doflamingo just chuckled, idly raising his fingers in the shape of a pair of scissors. "Wow," Doflamingo said sarcastically. "You really _are_ a tough guy."

His fingers snipped in the air. Blood splattered everywhere. Urouge didn't even have time to react as his severed arm cut cleanly from his shoulder. It took a while for the pain to hit, but then the monk collapsed to the ground, holding the stump of his shoulder as the blood poured madly.

Doflamingo was already walking away, laughing as the strings carried him up off the ground and upwards towards the sky.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**It's been a busy week for me, this chapter has been a pain to write. Still, everything is set up for what I promise will be the final chapter in this huge Skypiea Arc.**

**Next chapter: _'The Fall'_...**


	23. Chapter 23: The Fall

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: My recent attempts to usurp ownership of One Piece have left me mentally unhinged. I am now only one mutating vat of acid away from becoming a super villain. **

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The crew is recovering on Skypiea; salvaging gold and Dials, and repairing the ship while Luffy is hailed as the new God. Conis joins the crew as their Dial Mechanic, in exchange for a Devil fruit, while Wiper invites himself on-board looking for battle. Zoro and Tashigi grow closer, yet Tashigi remains indecisive. The adventure in the sky slowly draws to a close...**_

* * *

**Chapter 23: The Fall**

A dull calm had settled over the makeshift Marine camp on the edge of the bottom half of Upper Yard. Slowly, the wounded were patched up and the group seemed to recover. The most noise came from the coast, where the majority of the marines worked almost non-stop to build a ship capable of carrying the four hundred men back down to the sea. It was a crude vessel, made out of salvaged planks and badly hewn logs, but large and seaworthy enough to hold the entire group.

The Skypieans had been helpful, but cautious. An uneasy peace settled between the Marine intruders and Skypieans, but they were allowed to stay in their camp as they prepared to leave. A few Skypieans had even offered their services to help build the ship, after 'God' Luffy had made peace with Captain Smoker.

Smoker hadn't been seen much. Hina took charge of the stranded Marines, keeping the camp organised as the large ship slowly took form. The camp was abuzz with sawing and nailing, while scaffolding and sawdust littered the ground. As the morning sun rose sluggishly over the horizon, the men were already at work to put the final touches on their homemade raft.

"Where is Smoker?" Tashigi asked Hina after a pause, still staying at the raft. It wasn't a pretty ship, but it seemed solid enough. Like a giant lump of lump of wood with a sail attached.

Hina shrugged. "Licking his wounds, probably," she answered simply. "He was beat up pretty badly, but his pride was hit the worst. He'll recover, though."

Tashigi nodded uneasily. She still hadn't talked to her captain since their duel. Technically, Tashigi was still under arrest, but Hina still gave her free reign of the camp. It made it very easy for the lieutenant to sneak out for her daily meetings with a certain green-haired swordsman, but Tashigi always returned.

Although Tashigi was starting to wonder just _why_ she always came back.

Hina must have noticed her distracted expression. "Hina's men work fast," the captain said quietly. "Your tribunal is in three days, but we'll be on the surface by then, I guarantee it."

Tashigi shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think there's any point actually attending that tribunal?" She muttered under her breath. Her stomach churned at the very thought.

Hina shrugged. "That's for you to decide," she said simply. "But if Smoker doesn't turn up then they may accuse him of helping you escape. There's a Vice Admiral involved now, and Akainu will be taking a vested interest. It's important that, at the very least, Smoker and Hina makes an appearance."

The lieutenant's eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting that I run away?" She said cautiously.

"Hina said no such thing," the captain replied coolly. "You are still under arrest and it is forbidden for you to leave this camp." She paused, her eyes softening slightly. "But if you're going to make a decision, make it quickly."

She bit her lip. It was a dilemma that she was still wrestling with. The option was right there; she could simply walk to the other side of the island towards the pirate ship. Tashigi doubted that anyone in the camp would even try to stop her. Hina would make up some excuse that she had run away, and Tashigi would continue her journey through the Grand Line while sailing under a pirate flag.

Not so long ago, the thought of becoming a pirate would have been unthinkable. Now, it was… _complicated_.

Hina stared at her with firm yet sympathetic eyes. Somehow, even after weeks stranded on an island in the sky, the captain looked as flawless as ever. Her purple suit was ironed and pristine, her white coat was spotless. Tashigi couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of the captain's strong elegance and beauty.

"What would you do in my shoes?" Tashigi asked in a quiet voice. She could stay in the Marines risk execution, and forever be labelled as pirate sympathiser, or she could join a pirate crew and become a wanted woman. Either way, her ambition of being a strong marine would be ruined.

"Hina is not in your shoes," the captain replied with a shrug. "You've got to make up your own mind."

Tashigi paused, frowning slightly. She hesitated slightly. "But… What about during your excursion… did you…?"

Her voice trailed off. Hina just relaxed back in her seat and lit a cigarette coolly. "That excursion was a huge success," Hina replied calmly, but there was a hint of a smile playing at her lips. "We swept across the whole island, and we managed to recover the majority of our lost forces."

Tashigi shifted. "Yes, but I heard… well, there are rumours…" her voice became slightly pained, but she had to ask. Tashigi started to blush madly as she looked at the captain. "…Is it true that you and 'Black Leg' Sanji… Did you really…?"

Tashigi motioned with her arms awkwardly. Her cheeks were burning red. Hina's face was as impassive as ever. Hina took a deep breath of her cigarette.

"Oh dear," Hina commented finally. "There are _rumours_, are there?"

Tashigi nodded reluctantly. "The whole camp is whispering about it."

They both glanced across to a circle of large, burly marines who were talking in hushed voices. Occasionally, one of them would turn around and glare snidely at either Tashigi or Hina. Something about the whispering made Tashigi's skin crawl. She could only imagine what they were saying about them, but Tashigi would bet money that it was nothing pleasant.

Tashigi glared at the group. Hina just nodded calmly. "I see," Hina muttered as she dropped her cigarette to the ground and slowly stood up. "Allow me to show you how to handle _whisperers_."

Slowly, Hina started to walk towards the group of men. Tashigi just watched quietly. The marines stopped talking quickly as Hina headed towards them. They stood up and saluted, but a spark in their eyes glimmered with judgement and disgust, and there was an almost insolent speed to their movements. Hina remained completely calm.

"…Yes, _captain_?" One of the men muttered in a voice that bordered on rebellious. He was a large man with a beefy build and a furrowed brow. Hina turned to stare at him critically. No one spoke.

The man seemed to interpret Hina's silence as guilt or hesitation. His face twisted into a small sneer. "What can I do for you, _capta_– "

Suddenly, Hina's leg moved in a flash. The man never even had time to react as the captain's leg slammed towards his crotch. His eyes bulged, but there was no impact. Instead, the leg phased through him while metal bars rippled and took shape, tightening around his waist. The group gasped. The man winced in agony.

For a half second, nothing happened. Then, the man collapsed slowly to his knees, clutching at his groin. He was suddenly wearing a metal, chastity belt like contraption – solid metal manacles that were wrapped _tightly_ around his crotch and waist like iron briefs. The man's face was red. His eyes were nearly bulging out of his head.

Everyone around him just stared at their comrade with speechless horror. He looked like he should have been screaming, but couldn't breathe. Hina just inspected him critically.

"For every snide glance I receive…" Hina muttered, very quietly, into the man's ear. "… for every whisper, and for every rumour that comes to my attention…" Her voice was deadly calm and serious. "… I will _tighten_ that belt another _inch_."

She smiled sweetly at the group and started to walk away, her hips swinging with every step. The whole camp had stopped to stare at the man in shock, still whimpering slightly as he groped at the solid metal brace.

Hina just calmly walked back towards Tashigi and sat down, lighting another cigarette. Tashigi looked at the captain with a mixture of awe and horror.

"You will not be hearing anymore _rumours_," Hina announced simply. Tashigi decided not to press the issue, but she couldn't help stare at the captain with respect.

It was a while before Tashigi managed to speak again. Around her, the camp was slowly getting back to work.

"Ok then," Tashigi nodded definitely.

* * *

Luffy sighed as he focused on the presences around him, one by one. The auras swirled around him, but he was slowly managing to single out the ones he recognised.

Zoro was first. Luffy could feel the swordsman's latent killing intent and razor sharp aura. Zoro's presence was as sharp as his swords, focused with infallible determination. Right now, Zoro was across the island, duelling viciously with Wiper. The pair of them had been fighting almost non-stop, with a viciousness that looked like open murder to everyone around them.

Wiper's presence was surprisingly similar to Zoro's, but his aura burnt furiously like fire. Luffy could feel the raider's rage even from here. As Wiper clashed with Zoro, the ground rumbled slightly and their auras blazed like a murderous inferno, but Luffy had the distinct impression that they were both enjoying themselves.

Nami was at the outskirts of the camp. Her aura was softer, more round and Luffy could visualise it as blue. She was practicing with her new sword, and Luffy could feel how she moved, her mind and body in perfect harmony as she operated the Dials of the cloud sword.

Usopp was at the ship, still working hard to fix the Going Merry. The ship was on scaffolding, out of the water, while Usopp and Conis hammered in Dials and fixed planks of wood. Usopp's presence was distinctively green and almost squishy, but Luffy could still feel the iron at his core. Conis' presence was much softer, more fragile, and tainted by the grief that she was struggling with.

Sanji's aura was as solid as a brick, firm and unyielding. He was working in the kitchen, rapidly cooking for the entire congregation of Skypieans, but particularly the female half. The chef was abuzz with joy from all of the women crowded around him, swooning happily.

Chopper was playing with Carue across the fields. The doctor's presence was distinctly less human compared to the rest of the crew, but he still shone bright violet with a childlike innocence and compassion that made Luffy grin.

Vivi was pure warmth and kindness. Her aura was soft and gentle, even as she relaxed calmly in her tent. Judging from how her presence wavered slightly, Luffy suspected she was on the edge of sleep.

And then there was Robin. Luffy spent a long time focusing on her. She was towards the ruins, still inspecting and making notes of the history that covered Upper Yard. Her presence was calm, measured, and distinctly guarded. It was like she kept herself restrained, shielded, and focused. Luffy couldn't read minds, but it was more like being attuned to her personality.

He took a deep breath and sighed, letting himself float outwards. He could feel everything across the island, like he could touch everything in his mind. He could feel the Marines in their camp, the Shandorians, the Skypieans, even if he couldn't make out any details. Only his friends were crystal clear, so distinct they were nearly tattooed on to his skin.

When he opened his eyes again, somehow it was like his sense faded slightly. Sitting across from him, Aisa stared at him in amazement. "Wow," the young girl exclaimed brightly. "You really can see across the whole island."

He grinned. Aisa was the only one whose aura reacted when he concentrated on it. "Your range is still better than mine," Luffy admitted.

He was struggling to cross the entire island, even when using his Devil fruit to amplify his powers. Aisa could pick out the 'voices' of people much, much further away. Slowly, Luffy was beginning to realise that Aisa's Mantra must have been more powerful than Enel's, but it just worked on a different scale. She couldn't react to pre-emptively like he could, but Aisa could recognise people from miles away.

"I can focus it easier." Aisa shrugged. "I was born with the power, but you've just awakened it. I've never met anyone else who can use it. Well, besides _Enel_ but he doesn't count…"

Her voice trailed off. Slowly, Luffy nodded as he rubbed his shoulder absentmindedly, still adjusting to the crisscrossing network of scars that ran across his skin. They took the bandages off recently, but Luffy's body was still tender.

Chopper had done the best he could to soothe the burns, but the electricity still scorched vivid burns running across Luffy's right arm and shoulder. _Lichtenberg figures_, Luffy recalled. They looked like red tattoos under his skin, jagged and swirling around like lightning.

"Enel's dead," Luffy said, not unkindly. "It's over. You get to do whatever you want now."

"I know, it's still…" She grinned brightly. "… It's still amazing."

Luffy pulled himself up. "Come on," he said with a mischievous smile. "I know where Sanji keeps the ice cream now."

"Top shelf, third cupboard across in the larder," Aisa replied cheerfully, pointing at herself. "_Mantra_, remember?"

He faltered for a second. "Is there any left?"

"Little bit."

"Race you for it!" Luffy shouted, already jumping forward. Aisa squealed and leapt after him, clutching at his bandages and laughing as she tried to tackle him to the ground.

The rest of the morning passed in a happy excitement. Between Luffy and Aisa, they managed to clear out whatever sweets Sanji had stashed away in minutes, prompting the chef to launch a furious onslaught of punishment kicks at Luffy. The captain could have phased through them all easily, but that took the fun out of it.

The argument was just starting when Robin returned to the camp. She walked by the kitchen and smiled softly at Luffy and Sanji as she passed, but Luffy noticed a glimmer in her eyes that made him pause. He wasn't the most observant when it came to a lot of things, but he was learning quickly about Robin. Luffy distractedly muttered an apology to Sanji, before disappearing into a spark of lightning that shot away quickly.

He met Robin at the rear of the Going Merry, in a little spot hidden by the scaffolding of the ship. She had her arms crossed and a playful smile on her lips that made Luffy's knees weak. She stared at him bemusedly as he rematerialized in a crackle of electricity.

"You're getting good at that," Robin noted calmly, scratching at her chin softly.

He nodded. Transforming into lightning was still disorientating, but he had a lot of motivation. "Thanks," Luffy muttered awkwardly.

There was a pause. Robin looked mildly amused. She stayed quiet just to see how long the silence would stretch out. Luffy fidgeted hesitantly.

After a while, Robin looked at him mischievously. "What are you waiting for?"

Luffy shot towards her at the speed of lightning. She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her tightly and pressed his lips against hers. Her taste was so mind-blowingly beautiful that he couldn't help but grin like a buffoon, even as pressed against her more forcefully leaning backwards while their lips meshed together. Her body was pressed so tightly against his that they were breathing as one.

By the time they broke apart, they were both laughing and panting for breath. Robin was still amazed at how much more confident he had become at kissing so quickly.

"Much better…" she purred happily, drawing herself in for another smooch.

At that moment, absolutely everything was right with the world.

* * *

The ground thundered with another deafening collision as Wiper slammed his bazooka down like a sledgehammer. Zoro blocked the attack with his sword, lashing out with a vicious kick. Wiper blocked with his leg, twisting around in the air as he launched his foot outwards in return, but Zoro was already sidestepping.

The swordsman's gaze was murderous as he pulled his blade back. "Thirty-six pound cannon!" He shouted, as the air exploded with a blast of wind. Wiper barely had time to block the attack with bazooka, but the force still sent him flying backwards and crashing into a tree.

Slowly, the tree creaked as it collapsed to the ground. Zoro grinned.

"What's the matter?" He said smugly. "Not so tough without your big _gun_, are you?"

Wiper scowled, but he was grinning too. It was a good fight and Zoro showed no signs of surrendering. Wiper was using his old Burn Bazooka again; not as destructive as the broken God-Slayer, but lighter and more comfortable.

"You wish," the raider growled, heaving the bazooka on to his shoulder. This was technically a spar, but both Wiper and Zoro had a problem using 'reasonable' force. It was much more fun to just try and kill each other.

He launched a salvo of explosive flames, followed by a powerful roundhouse kick and furious barrage of cannonballs. Zoro didn't give an inch, meeting bazooka blasts with razor sharp slashes as they danced furiously around the clearing in the forest.

It hadn't been a clearing when they arrived, but it was a clearing now.

"So, you're going to be tagging along with us then?" Zoro muttered, chopping two cannonballs in half and returning a flying slash of his own.

"You got a problem with that?" Wiper growled, jumping into the air as the ground exploded as flames jetted from the nozzle.

Zoro parted the inferno with flash of steel. "If the captain says it's alright, it's alright," Zoro shrugged.

Wiper scoffed. "Captain?" He grunted, twisting around for another blast. "You really follow that shrimp as your captain?"

Zoro was on him a second, cutting down with his sword. He used the flat of the blade at the last second, but the force still sent Wiper crashing into the ground. "Don't talk bad about my captain," Zoro said warningly.

The raider just smirked as he pulled himself off the ground for the twelfth time that day. _The guy has persistence_, Zoro conceded.

"_Fine_," Wiper grunted, reloading the bazooka. "So long as he doesn't try to boss me around, we'll get on just fine."

"Good enough," Zoro nodded. "Luffy is a dumb moron most of the time, but you should still treat him with respect."

The raider launched an explosion of fire, but Zoro was already side stepping as he charged forward. Wiper swung his bazooka around with enough force to talk Zoro off his feet, but the swordsman recovered before he hit the ground.

"Tell me something…" Zoro demanded suspiciously, firing an onslaught of slashes so quickly that Wiper could barely block. "… isn't this place your home? Why leave?"

Wiper shrugged. "If Upper Yard is at peace, then there's nothing left for me here." Burying the old chief had took away all his deserve for their homeland. Wiper was a warrior, and it looked like Shandia would be better off without him. "Beside," he continued. "The golden bell fell out of the sky. That means my promise isn't complete until I go down there and reclaim it."

"Fair enough," Zoro muttered. The memory of Wiper leaving him for dead was still fresh in his mind, but repeatedly kicking Wiper's butt in these duels was helping Zoro to work through it. Besides, the swordsman wasn't one to hold grudges.

Zoro's foot collided with Wiper's skull with enough force that his bones crunched. Even as the raider collapsed to the ground, the flat of Zoro's swords slammed against his chest and send Wiper crashing into the forest. Two trees collapsed from the impact.

"If you ever hurt anyone in the crew again," Zoro warned coldly. "Then I'll cut off your head myself."

Wiper staggered to his feet shakily, spitting out gobbet of blood. "Fair enough," Wiper murmured in response. Zoro grinned. Both of them were bruised, bloody, exhausted and injured, but it been one of hell of a workout.

The raider slung his bazooka across his shoulders and started to walk away casually. Zoro sheathed his swords and nodded as if they hadn't just been trying to kill each other for the last few hours.

"This was fun," Wiper nodded, limping out of the clearing. "Let's do it again sometime."

Zoro wiped the blood of his brow and shrugged. "Alright then," he muttered nonchalantly, walking away in the opposite direction. Zoro had a sinking suspicion that he had just made a new best friend.

* * *

Luffy winced as he pulled the last of his bandages of his raw skin. The ointment took most of the sting out of the burns, but his body still hurt. He was in his tent, inspecting his skin cautiously. The lightning shaped scars across half of his torso, growing less vivid as they faded into his chest. Luffy spent a long time tracing out the patterns across his body.

He was still wearing his old shorts, but they were filthy dirty and had been torched beyond repair. Luffy hesitated slightly, before searching through the chest of clothes, rapidly taken off the ship, for something else to wear. He paused to look at his usual outfit of red vest and blue shorts, before pushing it to one side and rummaging deeper through the clothes. Between his old wardrobe and the ones offered by the Skypieans, he had quite a selection.

He felt like something different. He felt different.

In the end, Luffy settled on a pair of long, black jeans, fastened tightly around his waist with a thick dark leather belt. He chose a thick, heavy dark blue jacket with red lining, leaving it unfastened at the front and with long sleeves to cover the scars over his right arm. Then, Luffy changed his mind and decided to roll up the right sleeve up to the shoulder to reveal the vivid scars proudly.

He was sick of his sandals, so Luffy borrowed a pair of Zoro's old boots instead. Luffy paused as he wondered vaguely if he should get a hat, but then decided he didn't need one.

Luffy spent an uncharacteristically long time checking his appearance in the mirror. He looked like a different person. He looked older, more mature than he had been before.

_I look like Ace_, he realised with shock, before grinning brightly at the thought. He might not share any blood with his adopted brother, but somehow there was something in his appearance that reminded Luffy of him.

Luffy spent a few minutes rummaging through the bottom of the chest, before finding a necklace made of large, red beads and wrapping it around his neck.

Outside, he could sense his friends gathering in the camp. They were excited. Luffy grinned brightly, before walking out the door confidently. The crew was all gathered around the campfire, chatting excitedly. Usopp was in his toad form, bare-chested as he heaved a large box off his huge back.

"Luffy!" Nami shouted excitedly, turning around to meet him. "Come look at what we–"

Nami's mouth dropped open as she saw his new appearance. Luffy grinned at her happily, completely missing the light blush across her face. Without the bandages and frayed rags hanging off him, Luffy looked… different. It was more than just an appearance. He held himself straighter, and seemed more confident. And his chest was more toned and muscular than she had ever seen it before.

It was enough to make Nami's mind go blank.

"Whoa, what is that?" Luffy asked eagerly, pointing at the large crate. Zoro and Sanji barely even noticed his new appearance, while Usopp made a passing comment about the new clothes. It took Nami a few seconds to react, but she saw Vivi stare at Luffy with a similar gaze.

Nami's stomach clenched as she remembered the elephant that was still between her and Vivi.

Neither of them noticed Robin quietly inspecting them both.

"I've picking these up from the forest all evening," Usopp said happily, opening the crate. "And it's brilliant!"

Luffy's eyes widened. Inside the box, there was dozens of different coloured fruits of all shapes. Some were in crates of their own, but Luffy would recognise the aura anywhere. It was soft, faint and barely recognisable, but at the same time it twisted the air around them.

"Devil fruits…!" Luffy gasped.

"Fourteen of them!" Usopp chattered, delicately lifting the fruits out, one by one, with clumsy toad hands. "Fourteen!"

"That's one point four billion! _At least!_" Nami added, shaking herself out of her daydreams while her eyes turned to Beli. "That's _almost_ as much as all that gold is worth!"

Vivi shook her head. "We'd never be able to sell it all. Not straight away, at least," she added. "It would take a whole _country_ to be able to pay that much."

Usopp turned to smile and Conis, sitting nervously at the edge of the group and fidgeting with her dress. "You wanted a Devil fruit?" He said happily. "Come on, you've got a choice!"

She hesitantly walked forward, looking at the fruits suspiciously. "Just don't eat _two_ of them," Luffy warned. The image of Enel exploding flashed in front of his eyes. "You really don't want that to happen."

Conis bit her lip as she glanced at the different fruits. Usopp nodded and pointed at pair of fruits; one pale yellow and shaped like passion fruit, the other brown and shaped like plum.

"Ok, these two were found in different gardens across the island, but I think they appeared at the same time," Usopp explained. "So they must be the Stomp Stomp and the Daze Daze fruits. Berrit and Isaac died at roughly the same time, so I can't say which is which. You've got a fifty-fifty chance."

"You should make a note of that," Robin suggested, looking up from her book. "Devil fruits are worth a _lot_ more if you can identify them."

Chopper nodded, pulling out a notepad to write '_Daze/Stomp_' on a piece of paper and putting it next to the two fruits. Usopp nodded and continued.

"Ok, and this one…" He pulled out a large, blood red, coconut Devil fruit. "Got this from the beach, it appeared a bit later. So this must be the Shred Shred fruit."

Nobody spoke. They all remembered that power well, and someone it was just as ominous now as it had been when Marcus had used it to try and kill them all. Conis clenched her fist tightly, while Usopp pushed the Shred Shred fruit further out the way than all the others.

"What about the Metal Metal?" Luffy asked curiously. He couldn't see any silver grapes. "What happened to that one?"

Usopp shook his head. "I looked for that bag of grapes, but when the island split in half there was a lot of land that ended up tumbling down," Usopp explained. "You said you were quite close to the chasm, so I think the ground must have… cracked away after you left…"

Luffy looked confused. Sanji sighed. "So the bag of grapes fell through the White White Sea?"

"Yep," Usopp nodded. "We've lost the Metal Metal."

"Oh, what a shame," Robin commented calmly. "That would have been _really_ valuable one."

Nami pouted miserably, glaring at Usopp. He croaked, before rapidly changing the subject. "But we've got eleven more from the Devil fruit hunter's ship!" He said quickly, pointing to the smaller crates. Usopp looked slightly sheepish for a second. "Even if, you know, some of them are a bit knocked around…"

Zoro and Sanji started pulling out the crates one by one. "Huh, look at this," Sanji noted. "Some of these have got labels on them."

At the front of each crate, there was a small label with large, untidy writing sprawled on it. Zoro picked up two crates to check. "Huh, this one is labelled '_Cow Cow fruit, Model: Giraffe_'," Zoro read, before turning to the second crate. "And this one just has '_Smells a lot like soap_' on it."

Usopp eyes widened as he recognised the Cow Cow fruit, Model: Giraffe. "No way, I _nearly_ picked that one up!" He exclaimed, remembering the moment where he had picked his Devil fruit at random. "You mean to say that I _almost_ turned into a giraffe?"

Zoro shivered, putting the crates down. Zoro tried to imagine Usopp as a giant giraffe, but the mental imagery was horrifying.

Slowly, Luffy, Conis and Nami rushed forward to check the fruits. "Well, you're welcome to whatever fruit you want, Conis," Luffy offered. "In fact, anyone who wants one can just take it."

Conis didn't reply. Nami looked through the boxes curiously. The idea was tempting. "What about you, Zoro?" Nami asked curiously. "Are you going to take one?"

The swordsman shook his head disinterestedly. "Nah, I like swimming," he said simply. Eating a Devil fruit felt like cheating anyways.

"How about you, Sanji?" Nami asked. "Interested?"

The chef shook his head. He'd already been through them, but he couldn't find the one that he was after. "It's dangerous to have too many people with Devil fruits," Sanji explained. "There have to be enough swimmers in the crew."

Usopp lifted up a crate slowly. "Hey, check this one out!" He exclaimed, reading the note. "This is the Naked Naked fruit, it has the power to make any woman in the vicinity completely naked!"

Everything paused and turned silent. Sanji suddenly stopped breathing. His eyes widened. His face turned bright red.

"_Give me that fruit!_" Sanji screamed furiously, charging at Usopp with enough force to tackle the huge toad to the ground. "_Give me that fruit! Give it to me or __**I will cut you!**_"

Vivi and Nami reacted quickly. Even Robin looked concerned. "Sanji!" Nami warned, her face pale with terror. "You are _forbidden_ to eat that fruit!"

"I was joking!" Usopp pleaded desperately. "Just a joke! Look, this is really the Gen Gen fruit, whatever that means."

Sanji paused, took a deep breath, and then calmed down. He glanced around the group, before quickly walking away for a cigarette. Usopp watched him go with shocked, bulbous eyes.

The rest of the crew kept looking through the powers. Conis' hands were shaking. Nami bit her lip as she looked at the different fruits. "Hmm, the '_Peto Peto fruit_'?" Nami asked curiously, frowning. "What's that supposed to do?"

"How about this one; the '_Samu Samu fruit_'?" Luffy laughed, holding up a rather pathetic, brown fruit shaped like a rotten apple. "God, this one stinks."

"Some don't have a name on at all," Zoro commented, holding up a pair of crates. "This one just has '_Smells like talcum powder, maybe?_', and this one says '_Really spicy smell_'. Isn't there a description of the powers anywhere?" He dropped the two crates on the floor, while Carue moved over to sniff at them interestedly.

"Sorry, nope," Usopp sighed, before pulling a notepad out of his pocket and handing it to Nami. "But I do have this! I found in on the ship."

Nami frowned, struggling to read the fine, curly handwriting on the notepad. It was list, with figures along the side. "This is a list of the prices that the Devil fruit hunters were going to sell the fruits at," Nami realised. Curiously, Robin walked over to inspect the paper.

"Apparently, that Samu Samu fruit is marked with only '_I couldn't even give this one away_'," Robin noted. "Perhaps we should avoid that one."

"The minimum price of these fruits is a hundred million," Nami realised, her eyes glistening.

Robin shook her head. "Actually, the _average_ price for Devil fruits is a hundred million, but there are some that worth much more and others much less, depending on the power," she explained. "That's what makes identification so valuable. However, when the seller already knows that they've got a poor quality Devil fruit, then often they'll simply claim it that is unidentified and sell it for the standard price. They effectively scam their customers by offering the false opportunity that it may be a world-class power, even when they know it's not."

Nami looked at her confusedly. "So, look at the giraffe, the soap, and the talcum powder fruit." Robin pointed at three of the Devil fruits on the list as an example. "All of those are listed as a hundred million simply because they contain powers that few people would be happy with. And so, when they are sold, the sellers would neglect to mention that the fruits have been identified in order to put their prices up."

"Oh, I see," Nami agreed. "So we should effectively avoid any fruits that are listed a hundred million, right?"

Robin hesitated. "It's not an exact rule," she admitted. "Often, the true strength of an ability depends more on the user than the power itself. Even relatively weak fruits can be formidable if they're eaten by the right person."

"So which ones are the expensive ones, then?" Usopp asked curiously, still looking over the piles of fruit.

Nami pursed her lips, going through the list. "That Gen Gen fruit is pretty pricy, that's three hundred million," she mused, turning the page. "Oh, and that spicy fruit is two hundred and fifty. Couple of others are–"

"What's the most expensive fruit here?" Conis asked quietly, speaking up for the first time in a quiet, timid voice.

The navigator paused, before pointing to a crate on the ground. "That one," she said finally. "The '_Call Call fruit_', no idea what that means. It's worth five hundred million."

Conis nodded quietly. Without another word, she bent over and picked up the crate, unfastening the clamps and pulling out the Devil fruit. It was a bright white fruit shaped like an pear. Conis didn't even hesitate as she lifted the fruit to her mouth and took a large bite. It crunched.

Everyone watched in stunned silence. Conis' hands were trembling and her face crinkled in disgust, but she forced herself to swallow the fruit down. Nobody said a word.

"Alright then," Conis muttered finally, keeping her voice firm by pure force of will. She had blink repeatedly, but she refused to let herself cry. The image of her father was still imprinted on her eyeballs. She had to be strong for him. She had to get stronger.

"What did it taste like?" Robin asked quietly, looking at Conis sympathetically. "Often the taste describes the powers."

She paused. "It tasted like rotten meat," she said after a while. The taste still stung her tongue. She glanced down at her hands hesitantly, before turning and walking away without another word.

The group was silent as they watched her life. The only one was making a noise was Carue, who was still prodding and sniffing at the assorted Devil fruits. Nami looked between everyone curiously, yet Zoro just shrugged.

"She can do whatever she wants," the swordsman said simply to Nami's unspoken question.

Luffy glanced to the tent where he could feel Conis' presence, but just nodded. "Well, anyone else who wants one is welcome," he said quietly. Curiously, Luffy fiddled his fingers just to watch the sparks flying from his fingers. The Rumble Rumble power still felt so weird.

"Do you have space on the ship for all these fruits?" Vivi asked Usopp curiously.

He nodded. "Yeah, they won't take up much room. Particularly not compared to all that gold," Usopp added with a pointed glare to Nami.

"We're _not_ leaving any gold behind," Nami said warningly.

"But the ship can barely take it! We might not even be able to float!"

"It's _gold_, Usopp," Nami said in a slow voice, as if the sniper was talking nonsense. "_Solid gold_. We have to take it all."

He grumbled, and Usopp's tongue shot out so quickly that it hit Nami over the head in a light swat. The navigator looked at horror at the thick saliva coating her orange hair, just as the toad started to chuckle. Nami growled, drawing her sword and clicking the Dial, reshaping the blade into a large club and whacking Usopp repeatedly over the shoulder.

Luffy just laughed as he watched the two of them fight, while Zoro and Robin started to pack up the Devil fruits again. Carue was still at the edge of the group, playing with one of the crate curiously as he kicked with large webbed feet.

"You sure you don't want a Devil fruit, Mr Bushido?" Vivi asked Zoro curiously. "I've found mine quite useful."

Zoro just snorted. "I don't need a Devil fruit," he said with a shrug. "Besides, what if you end up with a really weird ability? You can't just eat a random fruit, cause mayb–"

There was a large gulp. Everyone froze, and slowly turned to stare towards Carue. The large duck was crouched over the ground. The crate had popped open. The Devil fruit was missing. Vivi's eyes bulged.

"_Carue?!_"

* * *

Smoker sighed softly as he walked towards the camp. The forest was weirdly peaceful, even at night. It was like the whole island was revelling in the knowledge that the old tyrant was dead. Smoker had spent the last few nights staring at the Skypiean camp. He thought about raiding the camp with brute force. He thought about bombarding the ship with cannon. He even mused poisoning the pirate's meals and dragging them back. Smoker had vowed that he wouldn't let Monkey D. Luffy escape, after all.

Still, the captain did nothing. He just stared at watched before slowly walking away. He didn't have the energy to fight anymore, and he seriously doubted he would win.

_This fight was over_, Smoker decided finally. Skypiea was at peace and Smoker had absolutely no intention of being the bad guy anymore. It was time to leave. That didn't stop the defeat from stinging, though.

He had lost a battleship, a good portion of his crew, and the trust of his longest friend. Now, he had to go back down empty handed to a tribunal that he might not survive. It was time to leave, but it just wasn't a pleasant exit.

_I wonder if Tashigi will still be there when I go back_, he thought sourly. His lieutenant had absolutely every reason to leave, and Smoker seriously doubted she would stay with the Marines for much longer. He was almost afraid to go to their camp and find out.

Instead, he limped through the forest, searching through the Skypiean camp until he found the person he was after. The elderly lady was cooking gently at a hob, preparing a dish with a spicy aroma that smouldered in the air.

"Amazon," Smoker said quietly, causing the gatekeeper to jump. "How are you?"

The old lady looked as frail as ever. Her eyes bulged as she saw Smoker, but the captain had no intention of being threatening. He was here to ask for her help, after all. He sighed, looking at uncomfortably at Amazon.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you," Smoker said finally. He had been eating humble pie quite a lot recently, but the words still felt foreign as they left his mouth. "I… shouldn't have dragged you into this…"

She seemed to relax slightly. Amazon hesitated before replying, looking at the captain with surprise. "That's… that's alright…" She said cautiously, before continuing. Her voice was old and weak. "You helped defeat Enel after all. I owe you."

There was something off about the statement, but Smoker's normally perceptive ears missed the tone of her voice. He simply nodded. "The Marines will be leaving shortly," he explained. "And I hear that the only way off Sky Island is at a place called Clouds End…?"

She nodded. "Yes," Amazon explained in a throaty, sombre voice. "There is a school of trained Balloon Octopi near there. If a harvester blows a special whistle, then the Balloon Octopi will leap out and carry a ship safely to the Blue Sea."

Smoker nodded. He had heard something similar from the other Skypieans he'd talked to. "I need passage out of the sky. Where can I find one these whistles?" He asked carefully. "Who should I talk to?"

The elderly gatekeeper paused slightly. "I have one right here," Amazon replied, holding up a large, white whistle in bony fingers. "I will be happy to blow it for you. It's really the least I can do."

The captain hesitated, but Amazon was the very picture of an elderly grandmother. She was short, stout, covered in wrinkles, and so old Smoker couldn't even guess her age. "Thank you," he replied earnestly.

She smiled softly. "Oh, it's my pleasure, dearie."

A few minutes later, Smoker limped back out of the camp, leaving Amazon to her cooking, humming under her breath. Smoker's leg was still sore and his body was weak, but he was strong enough to walk through the forest unmolested. He quite deliberately avoided any of the pirates on his way back. He had no desire to start a new battle, but he walked slowly. Smoker wasn't really looking forward to returning either.

The raft was done and the Marines had been rescued across Upper Yard. It was time to leave. Still, Smoker's stomach clenched as he limped into the Marine base, while all the men kept their distance cautiously. Hina just looked at him passively as he past, not even commenting on Smoker's absence.

It was only when he was heading to his quarters that he recognise a familiar face. Smoker's eyes widened in surprise.

"Tashigi," he muttered quietly at his protégé. His throat jammed at all the words he wanted to say. Part of him wanted to apologise, but his voice box couldn't manage. "You're still here?" He finished lamely.

Tashigi just smiled softly. "Yes, captain," she said with a sharp salute. "I'm still here."

* * *

It was a bright morning as the sun rose over the horizon, while three dozen men heaved the Going Merry into the water carefully. The refurbished ship glimmered in the sunlight, mostly due to the massive block of gold sitting on deck.

There was so much gold that they filled the storeroom and every storage space in every cabin, but there was still a huge block of gold leftover that squatted dangerously on the rear of the ship, fastened by strong ropes. As the hull hit the water, the Going Merry tilted backwards dangerously, but then Conis activated a Dial and the rows of Jet Dials along the base triggered with a dull whizz, straightening the ship out. The crowd cheered triumphantly. Luffy was practicality jumping with excitement. They'd been away from the sea for far too long.

"This is amazing, Conis!" He shouted happily at the Dial Mechanic, who blushed. She had still yet to show any sign of her Devil fruit ability.

"Thanks," she murmured quietly. After a long debate, Conis had left her cloud fox, Su, on the island with an elderly couple who promised to look after her. Su was a sweet and loving animal, but far too fragile for the Blue Sea and Conis had to leave her behind. Conis had also abandoned her pink dress for heavier and more practical clothing, and she wore her light blond hair draped over her shoulders, out of pigtails.

"How does it work?" Vivi asked curiously, still staring at the light bubbles coming from the bottom of the ship.

"There are Jet Dials along the bottom of the hull," Conis explained. "They push force downwards constantly, which helps keep us afloat. You can adjust the Dials' output to help the ship turn faster. There's about two hundred Dials on the bottom, but we don't need all of them. They operate in groups of eight, so while one set is working the others can recharge."

"Won't they run out of energy eventually, though?"

"Yes," Conis admitted. "But they're efficient and operating slowly, so they'll last for a while You'll still need to dock after about a week or so and recharge the Dials completely. Either that or lighten the load."

The rest of the ship had been completely refurbished as well. Conis and Usopp had worked wonders. Broken, splintered wood had been replaced by white, smooth oak from Upper Yard, while every inch of the ship had been outfitted with Dials. Light Dials coated the ceiling, while Heat Dials were fitted in the kitchen. The ship was filled with Dials that not even Conis had found a use for, yet they were still piled up in the cannon deck in large nets.

Actually, Luffy realised slowly that the whole ship was becoming cluttered. Despite Vivi's warnings, Nami had still gathered dozens of trinkets and bits and pieces from the Skypieans. The larder was so full that it was about to burst. Between the gold, the Devil fruits and the new crew members, Luffy suddenly realised that the Going Merry was going to get very crowded.

Still, the ship seemed to creak happily as the crew loaded up.

"Say," Vivi asked loudly. "Where did Carue go?"

In the distance, there was a frantic squawking that sounded a lot like a giant duck being catapulted a hundred feet in the air. A few minutes later, a disappointed Chopper and Usopp walked up the gangway, followed by a petrified Carue.

"Well," Usopp announced to the crew. "Carue _can't_ fly."

Sanji smirked at the frightened duck. Their hunt for Carue's new Devil fruit powers was turning the duck's feathers white. "Say," Sanji suggested, cruelly. "Perhaps Carue is now fireproof?"

Carue squawked in alarm as Chopper and Usopp grinned. "That's a great idea!" They squealed, dragging Carue by the wings and pulling him into the kitchen. A few minutes later, it was followed by the squealing of a burning duck, with Chopper yelling for water.

Vivi rubbed her eyes tiredly. "_I'll_ go," she muttered, chasing after her duck.

Wiper entered the ship cautiously, glancing around for any hint of betrayal. The raider carried only his shield, spear, bazooka and a small bag of essentials. Zoro looked at him curiously.

"Did you say goodbye?" He asked.

Wiper just shrugged silently. He wasn't so good at farewells. Wiper had left the chief's staff behind for the Shandorians to find. The ones that knew him would understand.

"Well, that's everyone," Nami decided finally, looking curiously between their two new crew members. Conis was welcome, but everyone still walked on eggshells around Wiper. "I guess I'll raise the sails."

"What about you?" Luffy asked quietly, glancing at Zoro. "Expecting anyone else?"

_He could use Mantra now_, Zoro remembered. Luffy must had realised who Zoro was running off to meet all the time. The swordsman just shrugged.

"No," he replied simply. "Not yet."

The sails fluttered weakly in the light wind. Slowly, the Going Merry started to creep forward sluggishly. In the Skypiean camp, people started to shout loudly. They were chanting 'God' and wailing.

"God!" A man bellowed in shock as the Going Merry left. Luffy just waved. "God Luffy! Please don't leave us!"

Others took up the cry. The whole congregation was wailing at the ship. God Luffy. The statement ran in the air. Nami looked at Luffy curiously, but the captain just laughed.

"God?" Luffy exclaimed loudly, standing at the rear of the ship with his arms outstretched. "Don't be silly. _I'm a pirate!_"

The words rang in the air to the shocked audience. Zoro smirked. Nami giggled. Robin smiled softly. Luffy sighed contently as he turned to stare at the pirate flag flapping in the light breeze. The sun was glowing and the sea was beckoning. It looked like a perfect day. Luffy's heart was pounding.

"Go find your own god," he muttered, very lightly, under his breath, looking wistfully at the black flag. Slowly, the Going Merry sailed off into the distance.

* * *

"You ready to leave?" Smoker asked curiously, looking around the raft.

"Oh yes," Tashigi said happily. "Let's go."

The raft was crowded and loud. It stunk of sweaty men and fish. Still, the skies were calm and the Cloud Sea was peaceful. Clouds End floated slowly into view; a colourful archway that was their final stop on their way back to the surface. The edge of sky beckoned, revealing a vast expanse of blue.

"You know," Tashigi muttered conversationally. "We might be the first Marines ever to set foot in the sky. Maybe we'll get a promotion when we hand in our report."

Smoker grunted. The forced optimism in that statement nearly caused him to roll his eyes. Still, it was far too pleasant of day to ruin it with realism. "Yeah," the captain said simply. "Maybe we will."

Hina was on the deck with her men, keeping everyone in ordered. Hina's powers had helped to bind the logs of the raft together, making even the crude vessel as solid as iron. Next to the raft, a small Waver floated next to them, carrying the elderly gatekeeper. Amazon had escorted the Marines all the way down from the White White Sea. She waved to them in preparation. Smoker waved back.

The Marines were practically twitching to return to the sea. When they got there, Tashigi would have to worry about reports and tribunals, but right now, there was nothing but white clouds and blue skies. It was enough to make her smile.

"I think today's going to be a good day," Tashigi muttered quietly, just as the raft started to slip down the slide. Her captain smirked, taking a deep breath of his cigar.

"Let's see…" Smoker muttered, before standing up to yell at Amazon. "Alright! We're ready now! Blow the whistle!"

She didn't appear to hear him. The raft past through the archway, slowly gaining speed as it drifted towards the edge. The captain frowned.

"_Amazon!_" Smoker yelled, louder. "Blow the whistle!"

The gatekeeper nodded, lifting the whistle to her lips. Still, she didn't blow it. They were going faster now. The edge was tumbling quickly. The men were starting to mutter. Tashigi felt her heart beat faster as she saw the seven thousand feet drop come into view.

Smoker just frowned darkly as he bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Now!" He screamed. "Blow. The. Whistle!"

The waterfall roared towards them. The whole world tilted as the vertigo hit. And then, just before the Marines toppled off the edge of the sky, Amazon grinned.

It wasn't an old lady grin; it was a huge, ear to ear maniacal smile.

"Whistle?" She said in a voice that didn't seem so frail anymore. The white whistle dropped to the ground. "_What_ whistle?"

Smoker's eyes bulged. That was the last thing he managed to see just before the whole raft plummeted off the edge in a seven kilometre high freefall. The screams of Marines faded quickly. The silence dropped over Clouds End, broken only by sharp, carefree laughter.

Amazon was laughing madly. She was laughing with an uncharacteristically large grin on her face as she spun in circles, dancing on the Waver with surprising youth.

"Perfect!" She screamed happily. "You're dead now, Smoker! You and all your Marines. Fall to your death! Oh, that was the ultimate performance! The ultimate performance of revenge!"

The _real_ Amazon had died in the brig of the battleship when Enel destroyed the ship. Fortunately, _he_ had been in the brig and the same time. A bit of quick thinking, one touch to Amazon's face and it had been the ultimate disguise. The Marines had even fished him out of the water.

With delicate care, 'Amazon' slowly put her left hand to her face, while her whole body rippled and changed shape. The old, wrinkly woman disappeared, replaced by a tall man with a tall man with a face smeared in makeup.

"Oh, Smoker!" Mr 2 Bon Kurei crowed cheerfully to the serene sea. "You just got _played_."

* * *

"Ow," Luffy muttered, rubbing his head weakly.

Nami glanced to him curiously. "What's wrong?" She asked.

He frowned as he tried to focus on the weird feeling. He still wasn't very good at Mantra. "I… don't know…" he murmured slowly, struggling to make sense of the feeling. "It's like… I don't know… a lot of people started screaming and then disappeared _really_ quickly."

"Huh," Nami replied, uncertainly. She added this 'Haki' to the list of things she had to quiz Luffy about. She hated the idea of her captain being more knowledgeable than her on a subject. "Is it anything to worry about?"

"I'm not sure…" He muttered closing his eyes to concentrate. Around him, the air began to crackle as static jumped off his body.

Luffy could feel his friends. That was first he looked for whenever he used Mantra. Everything else was harder, but as he focused he could feel the white noise coming from Upper Yard, but it was hard to make out any details. They were sailing across the White White Sea and his range was failing, but slowly Luffy scoped around, trying to find any sense of that disturbance he'd just felt.

There were creatures in the ocean; Luffy could make out giant shrimp and octopi, but they were the hardest to sense. Human's had a distinct aura to them, while animals were more blurry. Luffy barely managed to sense a few travellers across the Cloud Seas, but nothing nearby. Everything seemed normal.

And, then, suddenly, he felt it. At first, it was just another aura, but then the presence reacted to his Mantra. Luffy's flinched in shock. _Someone else could sense _him.

He'd only felt that aura for half a second, but the first glimpse of that person was enough to make his skin crawl. Luffy had never even imagined so much hate before._ And now they know where I am_.

"We've got to go," Luffy said suddenly, causing everyone around him to jump. "Full speed, we've got to go _right_ now!"

"What's going on?" Nami asked urgently, instantly alert.

Luffy's fist clenched. That aura was coming closer. _Fast_. Straight upwards. "We've got to move!" He ordered. "Get us out of here!"

"Out where?" Sanji said confusedly, motioning to the empty sea of cloud. "There's nowhere to go!"

The whole crew shivered as they felt the killing intent focus on them. Luffy felt it worse than anyone, but he still managed to tackle the crew to the ground just as the whole ship rocked viciously. Chopper squealed loudly from the crow's nest as the whole sea slashed apart and a figure rocketed upwards.

"Flying pink man!" Chopper screamed, eyes bulging. "Flying pink man!"

The laughter was furious. Luffy barely had time to clamber to his feet as suddenly Sanji's leg collided with his skull. He didn't have time to phase through it, and kick knocked him to his knees.

"Sanji!" Nami shouted as the chef lashed in a swirl of furious kicks. "What are you doing?!"

Sanji's eyes bulged and his face was pale, even as his muscles bulged trying to fight against the unseen force controlling his limbs. "It's… it's not me!" Sanji screamed, his legs kicking outwards against his will. "Nami! Get away from me!"

The navigator hesitated, just to squeal as Sanji's foot slammed her to the ground. The chef roared in fury. "No!" He bellowed, eyes burning with rage. "Zoro!" He ordered to the swordsman. "Cut off my legs before I hurt Nami!"

Zoro didn't move. A vein throbbed in his skull. "I… I can't move…" He muttered through gritted teeth, straining against invisible bonds. Suddenly, Zoro lashed out with his swords, limbs flailing wildly even as he fought for control.

In an instant, the ship erupted into chaos. Sanji and Zoro clashed, while Usopp and Nami were infected and started wrestling with each other. Robin screamed in pain and used her powers to restrain herself, but Conis and Vivi started to throttle each other. Wiper's eyes bulged as he was forced to slam his own head against the wall. Everyone was shouting and screaming. Luffy stared in a horror.

"Guys…!" He shouted, but none of them were in control. "…Stop it!"

All the while, a furious laughter bellowed over the sea. Luffy's fists clenched as he turned to face the levitating, pink man. His eyes shone with pure, undilated fury as he realised who was responsible.

**"_You!_"** He roared in a murderous voice. The air flashed with power. The man just laughed harder.

"Ohh!" Doflamingo jeered, arms wide. "Looks like you are a powerful little brat!"

The lightning was so intense the air snapped with heat. In an instant, Luffy burst from the deck, running through the air at breakneck speeds. His fist blurred with electrical power as he shot towards the man

"_Leave them alone!_" Luffy bellowed, slamming his fist forward with a crack of lightning. The intense, yellow light was blinding.

But the laughing didn't stop. Doflamingo was standing in the exact same position, one hand in his pocket, but the other one extended to absorb the lightning. His palm gleamed black like ink.

"Huh," Doflamingo muttered, sizing Luffy up like a piece of meat. "That's actually pretty good. You really _are_ strong."

The fist came so quickly that Luffy couldn't even react. It was like instantly, Doflamingo's knuckles were burying themselves into Luffy's stomach, with unstoppable force. He couldn't phase through it. He felt the blood in his mouth. His lungs screamed.

And then, with almost casual ease, Doflamingo grabbed Luffy's leg and threw him downwards at the Going Merry. Luffy crashed into the block of gold with enough force he left an imprint in the metal.

"Luffy!" Nami screamed loudly into his ear. Despite his ringing skull, Luffy barely managed to recognise that his friends had regained control. Doflamingo was distracted.

The man in pink hovered towards Luffy slowly. Everyone was shouting, but Luffy could barely hear it over the sound of his beating heart. "Leave him alone!" Usopp bellowed, firing a quick salvo of fiery bullets from his slingshot.

"Oh, _quit_ it," Doflamingo muttered in mild annoyance, glancing at the rest of the crew. "All small fry, _**stop!**_"

The blast of power made Luffy lightheaded. He recognised the force that pulsed through the air, but this was refined, practiced and focused. _He uses Haki too_, Luffy realised in dread. Around him, his crew collapsed to the ground quietly, foaming at the mouth. Doflamingo just smirked as he stood over him, smiling madly. The man pressed his foot tightly against Luffy's throat.

"You know, you really _do_ have potential," Doflamingo admitted, looking down at Luffy as he fiddled his fingers. "I better be on the safe side and kill you now."

His finger shot outwards. Suddenly, Luffy glimpsed a razor sharp wire shooting down towards his skull. He tried to move, but he couldn't. His body was still weak. His heartbeat felt like a drum in his chest.

And then, just the wire was about to cut Luffy's skull open, three sharp swords jutted straight through Doflamingo's chest.

"_Bastard!_" Zoro growled murderously, recovering quickly from the pulse of Haki. His blades cut through Doflamingo's body with ease. The man looked mildly annoyed even as he turned around to glare at the swordsman with insane killing intent.

"_Shitty geezer!_" Sanji shouted, jumping up from behind. They were the only two, besides Luffy, strong enough to remain conscious against Doflamingo's Haki. Sanji's eyes were alight with fury as his foot shot upwards, cleanly kicking Doflamingo's head straight off in one fluid motiom.

The pink man collapsed to the ground. Zoro sighed in relief, his head still spinning as he struggled to stay conscious. "Who was that guy?" The swordsman muttered in dread.

Luffy gulped. The headless, mutilated body of Doflamingo lay before him, but somehow Luffy could still sense the man's presence.

"He's not dead," Luffy murmured, just as the decapitated body started to shrivel and unwind, disintegrating into reels of string shooting upwards to the sky. The string unwound further, fraying and splitting apart, twisting around them until it formed a mesh of wire that almost resembled a giant bird cage, encapsulating the Going Merry.

Then, the wires cut cleanly through the Cloud Sea and gravity reasserted itself. The clouds were cut straight through and Luffy could barely gasp as the whole world seemed to capsize. The Going Merry groaned as it tilted backwards, dropping smoothly out of the birdcage, and tumbling straight downwards for a ten thousand metre plummet to the ground.

* * *

"Hmm…" Doflamingo muttered, sensing the string puppet disappear. "So… they managed to escape the Black Knight… Lucky bastards…"

Around him, the birdcage continued to grow in the sky. The wire mesh was so large that it blocked the sun. Doflamingo could just sense the pirates dropping out of range. He considered chasing after them for a second, but then decided against it.

"Still," Doflamingo mused, staring at the silver Devil fruit, shaped like a bundle of grapes, that he held in his hand. "At least this trip wasn't a _total_ waste."

He'd found the fruit as he approached from the White Sea. It was a nice little treat, although he had no idea which power it held. Perhaps he could find someone to identify it for him. Doflamingo was musing over the silver Devil for a while, even as he waddled slowly towards the camp of Skypieans.

They were all terrified. The birdcage was so large it covered the whole island. Doflamingo could _feel_ the fear that soaked the ground as the Skypieans stared at the pink intruder in pure dread. It made Doflamingo chuckle.

"Hey there!" He said brightly, throwing his arms open. "I heard you were looking for a new God. Where can I apply?"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**God, I'm happy I finally got this chapter done. Yes, it's been delayed, but from now I _should_ be able to get it into my old routine. **

**For those interested, the Devil fruits on the ship are a mixture of non-canon powers, original ones, and two canon abilities that will end up with a different user. The Samu Samu fruit, for example, came from the SBS; its only power is that it makes the user tell really bad jokes. **

**And from now on, we're heading towards the Water 7 Arc. Yes, I am going to change the pacing of the story, because I'm not happy with how long it has became, but I'm still looking forward to Water 7.**


	24. Chapter 24: We Will All Get Stronger

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Every day I fall deeper and deeper into despair. Right or wrong, mortality, empathy - those concepts are becoming meaningless to me as I embrace the philosophy of pure evil. I am transforming into an entity whose sole purpose in life is to steal ownership of One Piece away from Eiichiro Oda.**

**Does anyone know of a cool super villain name?**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The Going Merry is assaulted by Doflamingo as they are leaving Skypiea, the crew is easily defeated, and they only manage to escape as they fall out of the sky in ten thousand metre plummet to the ground...**_

* * *

**Chapter 24: We Will All Get Stronger**

Cold. Dark. Wet. Luffy's heart was pounding like a drum as he plummeting downwards like a stone through the soft, damp cloud. Everything blurred around him. He glimpsed dark shapes, but his body couldn't move. His lungs screamed for air as the cloud filled his mouth; thick, wet and salty. He wanted to run, fight, move, but around him the world just fell away.

And then, instantly, he broke through the cloud barrier. The bright sunlight was nearly blinding and his chest screamed in relief, but there was no time. The air whooshed by him, whistling in his ear as he squirmed in the freefall.

The sound of screaming hit him. Luffy's fists tightened as he glimpsed the dark shape of the Going Merry, upside down as it plummeted out of the sky. His friends needed him.

_Move_. The single thought was so powerful that it reverberated in his skull. No conscious thought was required. There was no doubt or hesitation, just an unstoppable compulsion that powered his arms and legs forward. Luffy's feet collided against air with such force that the shockwave powered him forward.

The crew was scattered across the sky, seemingly suspended in mid-air as the ground rushed up to meet them. Everyone on deck had been knocked clear off the ship as it capsized. Luffy could sense them all clearly. Usopp and Conis were to his left, while Sanji and Zoro were falling above him. Nami and Chopper ended up nearby, while Robin was freefalling next to the upside-down ship.

Luffy's heart pounded and every muscle twitched, but his crew was spread across. He couldn't reach them all in time.

_Move __**faster**_.

Suddenly, he felt the electricity surround him. It shot through him like an earthquake of power, and then the air cracked as Luffy forced the energy downwards. The air hissed and then the captain was shooting downwards. His arms wrapped around Robin so quickly that it took her breath away, even as he dragged her onto the bottom hull of the Going Merry.

The ship was tilting in freefall. The huge weight of gold on the rear was causing the Going Merry to cartwheel, making the world spin as Luffy pushed Robin onto the wood. His mind was spinning. It felt like zero gravity. Everything around him was maddeningly disorientating, but Luffy clearly focused on Robin's arms around his waist.

"I've got to save them!" He shouted, glaring at the falling bodies of his crew. The white surface of the White Sea was getting close very quickly.

"Save the ship!" Robin replied, barely audible over the wind. Her dark eyes were as cool and collected as ever, even despite the circumstances. It made Luffy's heart skip just looking at her. "Your friends will save themselves."

Just for a second, Luffy hesitated. Then, he met her eyes and he realised what she was saying. The Going Merry was upside-down and spinning. They had to stabilise it before they hit the clouds. His stomach churned at the thought, but Luffy nodded, before shooting away to the figurehead. His muscles roared and the lightning sparked as Luffy pushed furiously against the prow, but slowly the ship started to spin.

Arms sprouted across the ship as Robin dragged herself onto the deck, clutching the railings as she used her powers to unfurl the sails. The wood groaned as the air resistance hit the mast, while the whole ship tiled upwards quickly.

It took all of Luffy's strength just to hold the ship steady. He was fighting against gravity and physics as the ship tried to topple, but the lightning surrounded him and his feet pressed against the air as if it were stone. He wrestled against the momentum furiously, while the world seemed to fall around him quickly. The White Sea was approaching fast. There wasn't much time left.

Around him, the others floated across the sky in their freefall, writhing furiously. A figure shot through the air propelled by jets of cloud. Luffy barely had time to see Wiper skate on Jet Skis onto the Going Merry, spinning agilely in mid-air. Wiper growled in frustration, before shooting upwards to kick Usopp towards the plummeting Merry.

The sniper was in his giant toad form as he managed to grab a hold of the mast with webbed fingers. Surprisingly, Usopp wasn't screaming or trembling in panic. His eyes were bulging with fright, but he still managed to leap towards the crow's nest and use his tongue to wrap around Chopper's body and drag him towards the ship, like he was picking a fly out of the sky.

"Please work!" Nami screamed as she flourished her Clima-Tact, generating a gush of wind that repelled her backwards. A chain of arms from Robin caught her and swing towards the deck, but Nami still managed to land against the wood with cat-like grace.

Vivi grit her teeth as she focused on her powers, dematerialising into a cloud of sand that churned in the air, propelling herself like a rocket as she spun like a sandstorm. Nami was there quickly, forming her cloud sword as a rope to drag Vivi onto the deck.

_They're safe_, Luffy thought with gritted teeth, but there was no time for celebration. It took everything he had just to keep the Going Merry stabilised. The sea of clouds was zooming towards them like a concrete block. Luffy could only clutch the prow tighter as he focused on the three figures still tumbling in the air.

Sanji held his arms wide, using the air resistance to twist towards Zoro. Somehow, the chef had still managed to light a cigarette even when falling to his death. "Don't you dare miss, marimo!" He warned, as the two men collided in mid-air.

"Oh, shut it, pervert!" Zoro retorted angrily, raising all three swords with a flourish. With a grunt of exertion, Sanji kicked outwards, his foot colliding against Zoro's blades. The force of the blow sent Zoro shooting away while Sanji pushed backwards towards the Going Merry.

The swordsman only snarled as he watched the cook sail towards the ship, readying his blades. "_Thirty-six pound cannon!_" He shouted loudly, just as he slashed downwards with furious force. The air wave was enough to repel him backwards, crashing towards the ship like a cannonball. Sanji was there to grab him and pull Zoro up on deck, clutching at the railing tightly.

"Conis!" Nami screamed, staring at the angel still falling helplessly in the sky. She was thrashing madly as her dress flapped, her blonde hair spilling everywhere. There were tears in her eyes, but Conis never made a noise as she tumbled in the freefall.

"I've got her!" Wiper growled, shooting off the Going Merry with a hiss of pressurised air. Everything seemed to freeze just as the raider lunged at her. Every second dragged like an eternity. Just as Wiper's hands were meters away from Conis, his Jet Skis spluttered and ran out of fuel. Wiper could only stare as he was left helplessly soaring past Conis, so close that their fingertips brushed against each other's lightly.

For one second, the ocean looked like it would swallow them both. Conis' heart nearly stopped.

And then, Conis started to scream.

It started out as a high-pitch squeal of pure terror, but then suddenly it transformed into something else. Her voice became shriller, sharp as a blade and so loud that it cut through the air. Her voice transformed into a sound inhumanly sharp, like a bird's cry overpowering everything.

Nobody even had time to react. All of a sudden, there was a flash of feathers, and then another cry answered Conis' scream. The next second, she gasped as suddenly she was shooting upwards on the back of a giant animal.

The eagle was absolutely massive, with wings as wide as a ship and a body as large an elephant. Conis landed softly on the bird's back, clutching at brilliant golden feathers as quickly over the air with lean, powerful wings. The eagle appeared out of thin air, but agilely swept Conis up on its back, caught Wiper lightly with shot towards the Going Merry with a single sweep of giant wings.

No one even had time to be surprised at the magically appearing bird. _The Call Call fruit_, Luffy recalled faintly. _So that's what it does_.

Then, with a tremendous impact, the Going Merry collided with the cloud sea and kept on going. Luffy couldn't even react as the cloud swallowed everything yet again.

The ship collided with the cloud hull first. A ship could float on Sea Cloud, but at that speed the Going Merry had too much momentum. If it had been at any other angle, the impact would have torn them apart, but the Going Merry was falling too quickly to stop. They shot downwards through the cloud like a bullet, tearing through the White Sea. Luffy felt his body immobilise in the water, but this time he managed to clutch tightly onto the ship and hold his breath.

They sunk faster than an anchor. Bubbles rushed by while the cloud threatened to pull Luffy away, but he gripped so tightly that his fingers dug into the wood. The White Sea was deeper, his lungs burned for breath, but, just as his vision started to blur, the Going Merry broke through the other side.

Suddenly, oxygen hit him again and Luffy sagged in such relief that he let go of the ship. They were falling so quickly that Luffy was seemingly suspended in mid-air as the air rushed by. The vivid blue of the vast ocean stretched out as far as he could see.

His heart pounded furiously, but Luffy's stomach churned with dread. He could fly, but the ship couldn't. They were falling so fast it was hard to even think properly between the adrenaline and the fear.

"Luffy!" A sudden voice screamed shrilly, and Luffy turned just as sharp but gentle claws wrapped around his shoulder and pushed him onto the deck. Luffy could only gasp at the size of the giant golden eagle that Conis was riding, even as it agilely swept across the falling ship. "Fire your lightning into the Dials!"

Amid the wind and his heartbeat, Luffy could barely hear Conis' desperate screaming. She was still clutching tightly onto the head of the giant eagle, hair flapping madly. "The Dials! _Lightning_!"

Frenziedly, Luffy turned towards the Dials fastened onto the mast of the ship. There were Dials everywhere after Conis' modifications; the hull was dominated by enormous Dial mechanisms that Luffy didn't understand, but these Dials were different. The shells were fastened with metal brackets, with large knobs and levers, connecting to machinery that spread into the floor. Luffy recalled how Conis activated the Jet Dials on the hull using this control panel.

"Lightning!" Conis screamed again, barely audible as her eagle shrieked loudly. "As much as possible!"

There was no time to think. Instantly, Luffy grit his teeth and imagined lightning. He focused on the crackling power inside of him and suddenly the floodgates opened. He could _feel_ the electricity flowing through him, even as the air crackled and burned white-hot with ferocious power.

The others flinched from the heat and nice as the power burned next to them. It came out so hot that the wood charred black and the metal glowed red. It was intense that Luffy could barely control it, but somehow he felt the Dials absorb every spark of power he unleashed.

Around him, the whole ship lurched as hundreds of Dials triggered and released. Machinery and mechanisms from inside the hull started to churn. The deceleration hit them like a truck, knocking everyone out of weightlessness.

Usopp's eyes bulged as he croaked in panic. Luffy was still firing an arcing stream of lightning into the ship, but it was burning through the electricity as fast as he could generate it. "… Can… Can the Going Merry _fly_?!" Usopp exclaimed in awe.

"Of course not!" Conis replied loudly, but the eagle had to flap slightly to keep level with the ship. They were still falling, but not as fast. "That'd be impossible."

Luffy roared in exertion. Every muscle tingled and strained as he groped for more and more power, but he refused to give up. His friends relied were relying on him. Every vein on his body bulged as the air shimmered red with sparkling heat.

And the sound of hissing was incredible. The Jet Dials on the hull of the ship were all pushing out so much air that Going Merry was steadily slowing down. The giant eagle perched on the deck, lowering its back as Conis slid off. Everyone else stared between Luffy and the bird with disbelief.

The wind started to ease slightly. Conis was trembling as she looked out over the horizon. The curve of the earth was clearly visible at this height, and the sun glittered even despite the dark clouds overhead.

"It can't _fly_," Conis explained breathlessly, shielding her eyes from the blinding stream of lightning. "But it can fall slowly. The Thunder Dials in the hull to store electricity, linked up to the Jet Dials that convert it into updraft. Enough power, and the Going Merry will… hover…"

They were all panting, but slowly and surely the ship started to steady itself, until it was drifting downwards almost like a leaf on the wind. Luffy was still growling with the strain as he stood by the mast, pushing power straight from his palms into the mechanics of the ship.

The sight of being almost suspended in the air, drifting down slowly, was mindboggling. "This is amazing!" Vivi muttered in awe.

"Wow…" Conis murmured, leaning next to the railing. The giant eagle chirped in agreement. "It actually works!"

The exclamation caused Usopp to splutter. "You mean you weren't sure?!"

Luffy gulped, but he couldn't afford to stop the lightning. His whole body was aching, but they were still thousands of metres of the ground. "This is really heavy, you know!" The captain screamed.

Nami blinked but quickly took charge. Enel might have been able to power the whole Arc Maxim with ease, but Luffy wasn't as powerful yet. It was taking everything he had just to stop the Going Merry freefalling.

"Sanji!" Nami ordered. "Unfurl the sails!"

"Sails?" Zoro grumbled in confusion. "But we're falling through the air!"

"Just do it!"

With a shout of 'As you wish, Nami', the sails unwound from the mast, the pirate flag proudly fluttering in the air. The light wind hit them suddenly, and in an instant the ship was lurching forward, accelerating faster and faster.

At this height, the wind was strong. Nami had to clutch tightly onto the railing to keep her balance, while Conis was caught gently by the eagle's talon. There was no water resistance to slow the ship down. They were still falling, but now they were moving forward and breakneck speeds, all the while the ocean below was a vast, empty blue blur.

The Going Merry was sailing through the air. The very thought was enough for a grin to break out across Nami's face.

The fear and panic shattered into an inextinguishable excitement from adrenaline and nerves. Usopp laughed nervously, while Luffy's eyes widened at the sight.

With a shriek, the giant eagle took to the air with a single flap of huge wings. The beast agilely soared circles around the Going Merry, before hovering over prow of the boat, clutching the figurehead and flapping with steady, powerful gusts of wind. It was enough to slow the descent just a bit more, while the whole ship rocketed across sky as if were falling down the world's longest slide.

The view was beyond incredible. Luffy could only gaze at the scene with pure wonder. For so long, he had loved sailing, but it turned out that flying was even better.

_I want a flying ship_, Luffy thought enviously, as the wind whooshed by him. The Thunder Dials felt fully charged, so Luffy stopped the stream of lightning. He walked to stand at the prow of the ship, arms out stretched as he watched the world sail around him. His grin stretched from ear to ear.

"_This! Is! Awesome!_"

* * *

It took a long time for the adrenaline to fade. Going from fear, to life-and-death terror, to utter excitement was a nightmare for the nerves, but between the view and the cool air made the crew nearly hyper. Luffy was jumping up and down from the crow's nest, or running on air alongside the ship.

The Dials took a huge amount of energy and the ship was still slowly falling to the sea, but it was slow enough that they were hovering over the ocean. Navigation was impossible, but instead they just watched the whole world stretch out beneath them as they glided over the waves.

"Thank you so much!" Conis said somewhat nervously to the golden eagle perched on the block of gold. She was still trying to wrap her head around her new powers. "You were really helpful… I'm sorry I don't know what to call you…"

The eagle chirped loudly. Chopper glanced up at the bird. "He says his name is Maximus," Chopper translated to Conis. "And he says he's happy to help."

Conis pursed her lips nervously, frowning at the eagle. She remembered screaming, and then suddenly the giant bird had appeared from thin air. "Where exactly did… Maximus… come from?" She asked cautiously.

Maximus chirped in response. "A place called Havenmere Forest," the doctor translated. "Apparently he heard you call, so he came to help."

With the eagle's sharp claws, hooked beak, and vivid eyes, he looked rather intimidating, and Maximus was so large he shadowed over everyone. Chopper had been very hesitant to approach. Still, there was something friendly with how the animal interacted with Conis.

The bird flapped his wings slightly. "Maximus has to go now," Chopper explained, looking at Vivi. "But he says that if you ever need him, then just give him a call."

At that, the bird stretched his massive wings and took off with a single, powerful beat. The eagle disappeared into a spot on the horizon within seconds. Luffy just stared in awe, hanging off the mast idly.

"Whoa…!" He whistled. "Conis, your power is _so_ cool!"

She hesitated but didn't reply, looking at her hands in shock. Next to her, Usopp lay on his back in his toad form, staring at the sky, so large and round that he dominated the deck.

"So that's the Call Call fruit…" Usopp said with awe. "You can summon giant birds! I guess that makes you a… Caller Woman? A Calling Person? A Call Girl – oh wait…"

"It is pretty cool," Vivi said kindly, pushing past Usopp. "I'm sure you could do a lot of great things with that power."

Conis fidgeted slightly at being the centre of attention, and the reality of being so far from Skypiea was beginning to get to her. Vivi placed her hand to her shoulder reassuring. Zoro glanced at her curiously.

"Say, Conis," he asked casually. "Just how many Dial upgrades have you made to this ship?"

"Quite a few," Conis admitted, more comfortable with a familiar topic. "Most of them are Jet Dials and Breath Dials on the hull, with Thunder Dials to store energy. Lots of the design was copied from Enel's ship, but a lot smaller. You use the main levers there on the mast to control the Dials. Adjusting the gain and you can make the ship turn faster, give it bursts of speed, and adjust the buoyancy with load."

"So it can't fly?" Luffy pouted.

She shook her head. "No, the Dials aren't strong enough for flight," she explained. "The most you could do is hover a bit. Once we land, we can't fly again."

The captain sagged miserably, before moving to charge up the Dials again with lightning. The high from the fall hadn't worn off, but there was nothing to do on the ship until they landed. Conis glanced around the deck.

"There are also other improvements," she explained. "I've put Heat and Light Dials in every room, and there are Impact Dials around the sides that should help for protection. I'm also working on a cloud generator like Enel's, but that's proving difficult…"

"What about weapons?" Wiper interrupted suddenly. Out of everyone, the raider seemed the most out of place on the ship. He was sitting cross-legged at the portside of the deck, shining his bazooka slowly. "What sort of weapons does this heap of junk of have?"

"Careful what you say about the Merry," Usopp warned. Wiper just frowned.

"Not many." Conis hesitated. "I'm not really that good at making weapons…"

The raider scoffed dismissively. "We've got five cannons below deck," Usopp said defensively.

Wiper just raised an eyebrow. "No you don't," he said with a shrug. He had already inspected the whole ship, and was quite disappointed. "Those _things_ aren't cannons. More like children's toys than anything."

Usopp bristled, turning to stare at the raider. "And just what do you know about cannons?"

"Hmph. I forged the weapons for all the warriors in my tribe," Wiper said with a shrug, thinking back to his God-Slayer. "All of the good ones at least. Those cannons you've got below deck are pretty crap quality, and they're rusting to pieces. Just how many times have you even fired them? I'm surprised they haven't exploded."

From her tangerine grove, Nami turned to stare at the raider. Those cannons had come from Kaya with the ship, but they had never really been used. "You think they're dangerous?"

"They definitely aren't dangerous to any enemies," Wiper retorted. "Any gun needs proper maintenance. You can't just get a weapon and expect it to work if you don't care for it. Mind, those cannons… I could do better with a box of scraps."

Nami paused, glaring at the raider suspiciously. Wiper hadn't connected with the crew at all; he never really talked anyone but Zoro, and even then it was mostly to duel or argue. Still, if he was going to be on-board…

"Ok," Nami decided finally, arms on hips. "Congratulations, you've just volunteered. We've got plenty of scraps and lots of Dials; you get to make us some new cannons."

The raider glared at her. "Why should I?"

"Consider it the fee for staying on this ship. You've got to help out," Nami said coolly. "You are now the ship's Weapon-master, which makes all the cannons _your_ responsibility."

Wiper stared at her incredulously. Zoro glanced at him almost sympathetically. "Don't bother trying to argue," the swordsman advised. "She always gets her way eventually."

Nami grabbed Wiper's arm and dragged him upwards. The raider looked like he was about to punch her, but Nami just smiled meanly. "Come with me, we've got some guns to inspect," she said, pulling him below deck. "Also, I want you to have a look at this cloud sword for me. How long would it take to put all the functionality of this staff into this sword…?"

"Oi!" Usopp protested, hopping after Nami and Wiper. "I spent a long time building that Clima-Tact, you can't just get him to replace it!"

The trio disappeared below deck in a frenzied argument. Vivi watched them go and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Huh, so we've got a Dial Mechanic and a Weapon-master now…" She frowned. "Say, how come I didn't get a position when I joined up?"

"Huh. Did you want one?" Luffy asked curiously.

Vivi shrugged. "It would have been nice," she admitted.

Luffy nodded definitely. "Alright, then you are now the ship's Princess!"

"A princess isn't a profession for a ship," Robin noted, glancing up from her book for the first time.

"Oh, I'm sorry, _archaeologist_," Zoro retorted sarcastically. Robin just smirked gently and kept on reading.

"Well, what sort of role could she have?" Luffy asked curiously.

Robin shrugged. "Quartermaster, boatswain, first mate, second mate, helmsman, lookout, treasurer…" She mused. "There are lots of titles out there if you want one."

"Alright," Luffy said firmly. "Vivi, you are now all of those!"

"All of them?! You're meant to pick _one_!"

"Why not just take them all? Then you're eight times more important than everyone else."

Vivi pouted as she tried to think of an argument, but Luffy just laughed. Around them, the mast creaked and the Dials hissed as the ship continued to drift towards the surface. They were close enough to see the waves on the ocean now, and the scent of sea water drafted up towards them. It was getting late in the evening, and everything seemed so tranquil.

The only sounds came from below deck, where Nami argued angrily with Wiper. Apparently, after Wiper had said he was good with Dial weapons, the new duty of Weapon-master had grown to include personally redesigning every weapon on the ship. Usopp then added that he wanted a new slingshot and some of those Jet Skates, please, which caused Wiper to finally lose his temper and punch Usopp in the nose. The sounds of the pair wrestling carried across the ship, followed by a chorus of croaks and grunts.

At some point, Usopp tried to swallow Wiper with his giant toad mouth. That just made the raider annoyed.

The brawl lasted right up until Wiper threw the toad straight into a pile of barrels in the storage room, only to pause as one of those barrels yelped. Suddenly, everything turned quiet as they both looked at the suspiciously trembling barrel.

"Um… Did that barrel just scream?" Usopp murmured, his body rippling as he returned to his human form. The barrel in question was doing its best to stay silent.

Wiper's fists clenched. He recognised that voice anywhere. He scowled darkly as stomped his foot onto the barrel. "Oh you didn't…" he said darkly, just he kicked off the lid of the barrel.

The sound of gulping filled the room. Everyone was silent as they stared down on the small stowaway crouching inside. A vein bulged on Wiper's forehead.

Aisa attempted a small smile. "Hey, Wiper," she said with a small wave. The raider's eyes were bulging with rage. It took a long time for him to speak.

"_AISA!?_"

Luffy turned to stare at the sound of frenzied commotion emerging from below deck. Wiper burst out onto deck, carrying Aisa tightly by the scruff of her dress. The young girl was thrashing angrily, biting Wiper's hand in indignation as she wailed, but Wiper didn't seem to care.

"_You_!" Wiper yelled, pointing at Luffy. "Turn this ship around. We're going back!"

Luffy scratched his head. "Turn around? You mean… straight up?" He said confusedly. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Wiper paused, frowning with the sudden dilemma. After a couple of seconds, he turned and faced Conis.

"_You_!" Wiper demanded, pointing at Conis this time. "Call that eagle back again. He's going to carry _this_ one back to Skypiea!"

"I'm not going back!" Aisa yelled, sticking her tongue out at Wiper angrily.

"Shut up, you don't get a vote!" Wiper snapped. "Now come on! Where's that eagle?!"

The crew slowly formed around the commotion. Luffy looked at Aisa confusedly. "Say, where did you come from?"

"She stowed away," Wiper growled. "And now she's going back. _Bring me that eagle already!_"

Finally, Aisa managed to slip out of Wiper's grasp. The raider swiped for her, but she was already running away to Robin's leg. "I'm not going back!" Aisa announced loudly. "I'm going to become a pirate!"

Wiper's face turned red with anger. "You are not becoming a pirate!" He screamed.

"I am too! I mean, _you're_ a pirate!"

"I'm not!" Wiper objected instinctively.

"You kind of are," Usopp added.

"Shut up!" Wiper snapped. "She's going back and that's final!"

Luffy sighed, before crouching down so he was on Aisa's level. He looked at the young girl quietly, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Why did run away?" He asked softly. "Don't you have people up there that care about you?"

The girl bit her lip, glancing down slightly. "Yeah," she admitted, thinking back to Laki. Her parents died when she was young, but her cousin had always looked after her. "But I still wanted to leave. I want an adventure, and I really want to see the Blue Sea!"

Luffy paused, staring at her curiously. Aisa's eyes were resolute. Wiper just looked between them incredulously. The raider was clearly fazed by Aisa's presence. "Don't talk to her!" He shouted. "This ship is way too dangerous for a little girl!"

"I'm not a little girl!" Aisa screamed. "I'm a warrior of Shandia! You said so yourself when you took me into the battle for Upper Yard!"

Wiper's mouth opened in protest, and then closed again. His jaw flapped open repeatedly as he tried to think of a counterargument. "That was different!" He finished lamely. "Everyone was there to look after you then!"

"And now you're here to protect me!" Aisa argued. "Or aren't you strong enough?"

The raider bristled with the accusation. "Of _course_ I'm strong enough!"

"Great, then it's settled." Aisa grinned brightly. "I'm staying, you're looking after me."

Wiper looked ready to murder someone. "No, that's not… you can't… just don't…" he stuttered helplessly, looking around for support. Zoro just folded his arms and smirked at the raider. "_Someone_ tell her that she can't stay!" Wiper pleaded, a hint of desperation in his voice.

Luffy looked around the crew, but no one seemed to have any objections. Sanji just shrugged. "Why not let her stay?" The chef suggested, lighting a cigarette. "Lots of ships take on cabin boys and cabin girls as apprentices. _I_ was apprentice chef on a ship when I was younger; it's a great way to get experience."

"It's too dangerous! Think of all the battles you guys get into!" Wiper shouted, glaring hatefully at Sanji

"When it comes to battle, she will stay on the ship, safely out of the way," Robin said soothingly. Aisa opened her mouth to object, but Robin squeezed her shoulder warningly. "It'll be perfectly fine. I quite like the idea of having a cabin girl on-board, actually."

"Plus, she has that really powerful Mantra," Nami added. Aisa nodded eagerly. "That'll be really useful."

Aisa smiled brightly as she sensed victory. She never stopped holding onto Robin's leg. Wiper glanced around desperately. "But… but…" the raider muttered weakly, looking for any hope in the argument. "This is a pirate ship! You can't have a eight year old girl on-board!"

"Cabin boys are pretty common, actually," Zoro added, looking at Aisa. "They do all the boring chores around the ship that no one else wants to do."

Nami frowned. "I thought Usopp did all the boring chores."

"Aisa would do them all instead of him," Zoro said with a nod.

Usopp grinned evilly, looking down at Aisa. "That's it! She's our cabin girl now! And oh there are going to be so many chores for you to do…"

The sniper looked really excited at the prospect of having someone to boss around. Aisa frowned and kicked him in the shins. Already, everyone was starting to mill away, leaving Wiper to stare at Aisa angrily.

"You can't be here!" Wiper repeated. "What's Laki going to think?!"

"I left her a note," Aisa said promptly. "What did _you_ leave?"

It was a horrible, horrible feeling to be out-argued by a eight year old. "That's different!" Wiper protested. "You've just ran away from everything you've ever known!"

"Well, so did you!"

"That's… that's different!" Wiper struggled for the words. "You just can't be here, alright? You're eight!"

She walked over to him and took his hand tightly. "That's why I've got you to look after me," she said with a bright smile. Aisa had always looked up to him like a big brother. A moody, angry big brother, but he had still been just as much her family as her Laki was. If Wiper ran away, then of course Aisa was going to run after him.

_Dammit_, Wiper thought in defeat, _I can't fight this anymore, can I?_

"You're still going to have to do all the chores," Wiper muttered weakly.

"Deal," Aisa said with a grin. "And in return, you're going to train me!"

Wiper groaned and tried to protest even as Aisa clung onto his arm tightly. Luffy just smiled as he watched the scene on the deck. Aisa and Wiper were arguing, Nami was talking to Conis about Dials, while Vivi, Chopper and Usopp played with Carue curiously.

"Say…" Luffy overheard Vivi asking Usopp curiously. "Did you ever figure out what Carue's power is?"

"No," Usopp muttered miserably, just as Vivi fed Carue a small fish. "We've tested everything. He can't fly, he isn't fireproof, he can't talk to fish, he's not super strong, and he doesn't even have heat vision! Carue's power is boring!"

"Huh," Vivi mused, absentmindedly throwing another fish to the giant duck. Carue caught it out of the air. "Maybe it only activates in certain conditions. And all we know about the Devil is that is that it's really spicy…"

Carue swallowed the fish down in a huge gulp. Usopp shrugged his head. "Nope, I've tested it all," Usopp said firmly. "The only unique power he has is that he can do is lick his tail feathers with both feet in the air, but I don't think that's from the Devil fruit. I'm absolutely certain that he doesn't have any–"

Suddenly, Carue belched. It was burp loud enough to cause the ship to tremble, and suddenly a cloud of green gas burst out of Carue's throat. The gas stunk of sulphur, and it was so intense that it corroded straight through the wood of the railings. The wood blackened and burned away under the intensely powerful acidic belch, leaving a hole in the deck the revealed the storage room below.

Vivi blinked. Usopp stared dumbly. Carue just looked mildly embarrassed. It was a while before anyone spoke.

"Yep," Usopp nodded definitely, staring at the corroded wood. "I can work with that."

* * *

Below, the ship was less than fifty metres above the ocean now, and falling faster as the Dials started to drain. The waves were cresting underneath and the ocean was singing in the cool evening breeze, but somehow Luffy was more interested in watching his friends than watching the ocean. Everything was so lively that Luffy felt more content than he thought possible.

He was a pirate. He loved the ocean. He just loved his crew more.

This is what's important, Luffy thought definitely, still sitting on his special seat as everyone else braced for collision with the water. There was going to be a splash.

Still, the memory of laughing figure dressed in pink was never far from his mind. Luffy had thought he had gotten so strong, but slowly he was beginning to realise that there was always a bigger fish.

I refuse to let anything happen to them, Luffy decided, looking between his crew, one by one. He would never lose them.

Slowly, Zoro approached Luffy slowly, watching the ship fall back into the Grand Line. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. There was unspoken confirmation that they were thinking the exact same thing.

"_So_…" Zoro said finally, quiet enough so no one else could hear him, while holding tightly to the railings. "That pink guy… do you know who he was?"

Luffy shook his head. "No idea."

Zoro nodded. "He was strong." The statement hung in the air, even as the ship kept on accelerating downwards.

"Yes," Luffy said simply, thinking back to that moment, It had been over so fast. "He was."

"He used Haki." Zoro said the word casually, but there was just a hint of a question in the statement.

"Yes. He did." Luffy's voice was cold.

"Are there any more out there like him."

"Probably."

"Right."

The water was dangerously close now. They were rushing towards the surface at breakneck speed, the rudder was only just skipping across the waves. The Dials were throwing up splashed of seawater everywhere. When they hit the ocean, they wouldn't be the same crew that left.

Zoro looked out into the empty horizon. "Ok then," he said firmly. "I think it's about time that you teach me how to use Haki."

The captain nodded, eyes still focused on the distance. Zoro paused. "Actually…" the swordsman continued. "I think you need to teach everyone on-board how to use Haki."

The whole ship shuddered as the prow bounced off the waves, soaking everything on the deck. "Yeah," Luffy agreed quietly. The Going Merry crashed into the ocean with a small tidal wave of force. "I think that's a good idea."

* * *

**OMAKE:**

**The Many Uses of Devil Fruits**

"Usopp!" Nami shouted loudly as she glared at the sniper suspiciously. Usopp was standing protectively in front of the door to the kitchen, while the sound of crashing echoed from inside. "What's going on here?"

Usopp sweated with panic. "Well… it's complicated…" he muttered weakly. From inside, something was banging against the door, desperate to get out.

Nami glared at him. "What. Did. You. Do?" She muttered with slow fury.

He attempted a smile. "Well, it's a funny story actually… you remember back in Alabasta, how we faced that big guy with a giant gun that ate a Devil fruit and then turned into dachshund?"

Nami wasn't smiling. Usopp gulped and continued. "So, that got me thinking… if inanimate objects could 'eat' Devil fruits, then that might be really useful. I mean, can you imagine how cool it would be if I turned a cannon into a giant animal or something?"

The navigator was getting a bad feeling about the direction of this conversation. "_Oh no_…"she groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. It was far too early in the morning to deal with this.

Usopp continued unwillingly. The crashing from the kitchen was getting louder. "I figured that we have plenty of Devil fruits, so it couldn't hurt to experiment a bit." Another loud bang from inside the door. "So I took one of those Devil fruits, and…" A large wallop collided with the door. Usopp's smile was glassy. "… and I took a fruit juicer…"

It took a few seconds to process that statement. "A fruit juicer," Nami repeated slowly. Usopp nodded.

"You made Devil fruit _juice_." Usopp grimaced and nodded again.

It sounded as if the kitchen was being destroyed. "Oh, Usopp, _what did you do?!_" Nami demanded.

The sniper shifted uncomfortably. "After I juiced the Devil fruit, I might have… tripped a bit…" He said sheepishly. "… and the spilled the juice over something…"

"_What_ did you spill it on?"

Uncomfortably, Usopp slowly opened the door. Inside, Nami glimpsed a furry black and white animal tearing through the cupboards, ransacking the room. It was as large as a small dog, but this animal had a distinctly metallic shine to its fur. And it had a handle for a tail and a spout for a mouth.

Usopp slammed the door shut quickly, before the creature could escape. "It was the Rat Rat fruit," Usopp explained slowly. "…Model: _Raccoon_…"

Nami blinked. It took a while for Nami understand the situation. "Usopp…" She said slowly. "Did you really transform our _kettle_ into a _racoon_?!"

"Well, it sounds so bad when you say it like that…"

"_Our kettle?!_" Nami repeated incredulously. "_A raccoon?!_"

"It's ok, it's ok!" Usopp squealed, just as the raccoon-kettle started to scratch at the door again. "I'll handle it, I promise. I'll sort it all out!"

_Two days later…_

Nami and Usopp lounged on the chairs on the deck in the morning sun. There was the sound of footsteps, followed by a door creaking open, and then a sharp squeal. Suddenly, the ship was thrown into chaos as the sounds of crashing pans, hissing and boiling water echoed around the ship.

Vivi raced out of the kitchen. Her clothes were torn by scratch marks and her hair was messy. She had just been trying to make a cup of tea. "Someone help!" Vivi shouted loudly. "The kettle has gone on a rampage again!"

Neither Usopp nor Nami reacted straight away. Slowly, Usopp tried to hide by sinking further into his seat, while Nami turned to stare at him exasperatedly. There was a quiet pause.

"_Dammit_, Usopp."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Next chapter: _'The Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line'_...**


	25. Chapter 25: The Royal History Society

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I decided not to become a super villain dedicated to destroying Eiichiro Oda****. It turns out that black capes are _really_ expensive.**

**Warning: Lemons.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The crew lands on the ocean with a ton of gold after the events in Skypiea. The sacred golden bell fell out of the sky, and Wiper joined the crew to search for it. Robin and Luffy are in a relationship, keeping it secret from the others, while Vivi and Nami struggle with their own feelings for the captain.**_

* * *

**Chapter 25: The Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line**

* * *

It had been a busy week for the Saruyama Alliance.

Montblanc Cricket hadn't had an easy month, but there was no time to reflect on it. Firstly, Bellamy the Hyena robbed him of everything he had. Over two decades worth of work was lost in a single night. Bellamy assaulted his home, beat up his two protégés, and then raided every bit of gold Cricket had ever collected. Cricket was left wounded, penniless, and heartbroken. A lifetime of trying to uncover the truth of his ancestors had been ruined. It had been the worst day of his life. Fortunately, it only got better from there.

_Perhaps it's some form of karmic retribution_, Cricket mused to himself. Ever since that day his life had become so much better.

Bellamy's crew had been slaughtered by his own boss. Bellamy himself survived, apparently, but the once infamous pirate had been on death's door when the Marines locked him up and took him away. Mock Town itself had been nearly destroyed; first Monkey D. Luffy wrecked the place, and then marine assault on the bay, and then the storm scattered any survivors.

Strangely, Cricket and his surrogate sons had been completely uninvolved in the whole affair, and with every other pirate ship in ruins, the Saruyama Alliance had been left as the biggest power in the surrounding ocean. Their ranks were suddenly swollen by shipwrecked pirates that needed work, and it didn't take long for Cricket to earn back everything that was stolen from him and more.

By the second week after the storm, Cricket had set himself up as the boss of the whole island. Mock Town was in ruins, but a new pirate outpost was already rapidly growing on the opposite side of the island, with Cricket as the unofficial mayor. There were hundreds of pirates that had been left shipwrecked, hungry and homeless by the assault, after all, and the Saruyama Alliance was the only thing that could keep them alive. All those people that had once laughed at Cricket's dream were now piled up at his doorstep, begging for his aid.

Captained by the 'Salvage King' Masira and 'Sonar King' Shoujou, the Saruyama Alliance became the strongest military might in the waters of Jaya. They'd been completely unimpeded to search further and wider for the lost city of Shandia.

And, then, just when Cricket couldn't believe his luck, everything that he had ever dreamt about quite literally fell out of the sky.

The Shandorian Golden Belfry Bell was a couple of hundred tonnes of solid gold, and Shoujou surveyed the ocean's floor daily. It was literally impossible for them to not notice. Cricket himself dived into the ocean with Masira to salvage the wreckage. It took nearly a full day to drag it to the surface, but it was absolutely everything that Cricket had ever dreamed about.

The next few days were a blur. Cricket still had to occasionally pinch himself to make sure he wasn't actually dreaming. The golden bell was heavily damaged and couldn't ring, but it was still _hundreds of tonnes_ of gold. All of those people that scoffed at the trinkets that Cricket had pulled up couldn't ignore a giant golden bell.

Montblanc Cricket finally had irrefutable proof that Noland wasn't a liar.

It was more than that; it was justification for twenty-four years of hard labour and several generations of mockery. Finally, Cricket managed to figure out what happened four hundred years ago. The golden sea didn't fall into the sea, it went upwards. Sky Island was real, and he could prove it.

The shockwaves from his discovery started slow but built up in momentum quickly. Within days, every pirate and merchant within miles was sailing to Jaya to see the giant relic. For a tense few days, Cricket lived in fear that one of them would try and take for itself, but that was when the Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line intervened.

The society of historians arrived with two large galleys on the beaches of Jaya, and they brought experts that verified the authenticity of the bell. The society brought publicity, and suddenly the lead story in the newspaper was all about Cricket and his discovery. They brought enough funds to restore the damaged bell, with the promise to ensure the relic's survival for the benefit of future generations.

And, because this was the Grand Line, they also hired enough strong mercenaries to _really_ ensure that the relic survived for benefit of future generations.

Everything transformed so quickly that Cricket barely had time to keep up. He wasn't a pirate anymore; he was an entrepreneur, a respected pillar of the community, and an honorary historian. He wasn't diving into the ocean every day now; he was wearing an expensive tailored suit and giving interviews to the countless papers and magazines that wanted to publish the true story of Noland 'the Liar'.

"But boss…" Shoujou commented one evening, as Cricket stared off into the horizon and watched the clouds. "… the bell doesn't even ring anymore."

Cricket just smirked. After twenty-four years of chasing after a dream, restoring an enormous bell didn't seem like such a big task. "Nah," Cricket said wistfully as he wrapped his arm around his two surrogate sons. "We'll make it sing again. And then_, _we'll let _them_ know that _we're_ here."

Somehow, even after all the interviews, discussions, work and riches, one of the best moments of Cricket's life was when a man with a mohawk and tribal tattoos walked up to him and introduced himself as the descendent of Montblanc Noland's long lost friend.

"Wow," Aisa muttered in awe as she stared at the pair of them. "They're actually getting along with each other."

Leaning across the railing of the Going Merry, Zoro raised an eyebrow as he watched Wiper and Cricket drink, laugh and share stories of their ancestors. Somehow, the two men were getting along like they were childhood best friends.

"Is that surprising?" Zoro asked curiously.

"Wiper doesn't 'get along' with people," Aisa explained disbelieving. "He tries to kill people. Occasionally, they manage to get away. Wiper is not… _friendly_."

"Huh," the swordsman muttered, just as Wiper burst out laughing at Cricket's jokes. The two of them were getting along so well that it felt rude to interfere. The pair had already gone through several tankards of ale. "Well, what do you know…?"

The Going Merry was moored at the edge of the outpost, next to Cricket's stone tower. To avoid any troublesome attention, their block of gold had been covered by a tarp to keep it out of sight. Still, everyone was focused more on the Shandorian Golden Belfry Bell, displayed proudly next Cricket's home. The bell was pierced and damaged, but it had still been polished to perfection and the carvings were perfectly legible. Robin was out there right now, inspecting every engraving and hieroglyph with unwavering diligence.

There were dozens of ships around the budding outpost. Mock Town was destroyed, but there was a still booming trade. The beach was covered in ships and more buildings were being established every hour. The outpost was crawling with activity.

"Do you think anyone will steal the bell?" Usopp asked after a moment's pause. "I mean, it must be worth a _fortune_, and it's just lying out there…"

"Eh, _someone_ will probably try," Zoro mused, glancing down at the mercenaries patrolling the bell. There were dozens of them, and they all carried sharp blades with an aura of quiet expertise. "But those guards that the history society hired look pretty tough."

"You know, I heard a rumour in the outpost," Vivi commented idly, still staring at the magnificence of the golden bell. "Can you guess what they're planning on calling the new town?"

"What?" Zoro asked curiously.

Vivi grinned. "_Cricket Town_."

That made them all chuckle. Montblanc Cricket had been nothing but welcoming to the pirates, and Luffy bonded instantly with the two monkey brothers Masira and Shoujou. Dusk was slowly setting over the island, but nothing was dying down. Cricket had already ordered enough ale for a large party, and it was already shaping up to be a good night.

Across the field, Robin crouched slowly as she inspected the Poneglyph chamber nestled within the belfry. Poneglyphs were indestructible, but it was still a stroke of luck that this one had been found so quickly. She ran her hands over the smooth blue stone, musing quietly to herself.

"Poseidon," she muttered quietly, still musing over the contents of the runes. She had no interest in the ancient weapon, but the name was still troubling. Even more confusing was the writing that had been carved on to the side. "'We came here, found the text and followed its guidance'," Robin reread, trying to find some hidden meaning in the words beyond the obvious. "Gol D. Roger."

The archaeologist was so busy crouching over the hieroglyphs that she didn't even hear the footsteps behind her until someone lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey," Luffy greeted quietly, crouching beside her comfortingly. "How's it going?"

She smiled, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. Her heart still fluttered as their skin touched.

"Confusing," Robin admitted. "It's the first time I've been able to examine the Poneglyph in such detail, and… well, there are bits that don't make sense. I've always assumed that all the Poneglyphs were written together in the Void Century, but the terminology, the syntax, it's different to the other ones I've seen. I think this might have been written in a different era, but then if so then how could they be related? I've always thought that each Poneglyph would combine to give the lost history, but how could there be such an age difference between the tablets? Is there a chronology between the writings that I'm missing? It's like each part is a piece of puzzle, but I don't know how everything fits…"

Her voice trailed off as she realised she was rambling. Luffy's expression had a blank look of someone trying very hard not to be lost. Robin paused. "Sorry," she muttered quietly.

Luffy frowned and shook his head. "No, tell me," he insisted. "So it's basically like a jigsaw, right?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, basically," she said with amused smile.

He nodded with focus. "Ok." He knew jigsaws, he could do jigsaws; the trick was to look at the picture on the box. Luffy's head started to ache as his brain churned. "How about I go get a big piece of paper and then we can trace out everything it says?" He suggested finally, beaming proudly. "And then we go to the other pieces, put them together and see which one's a corner piece?"

Robin burst into giggles at the sight of Luffy's expression. The captain pouted and sat cross-legged on the ground. "Fine then," he said as he shifted into inspect the Poneglyph. "How about I sit here next to you, and let's just see if we can figure it out together?"

She met his eyes and saw absolutely nothing but a sincere desire to help. Robin was good at recognising ulterior motives. Luffy didn't have any. She hesitated for a brief moment. "You know they're having a party down there?" she said softly, motioning to the lights around Cricket's house. "I'll be fine by myself."

He shrugged. "I want to stay with you," Luffy said simply. "Let me help."

Robin's smile widened. Luffy could always make her smile. Suddenly, the Poneglyph didn't seem so important. Robin pulled herself up and took Luffy's hand. "Alright," she said quietly, holding on to Luffy tightly. "Let's go to the party."

He beamed at her widely as she slowly pulled him so closely that their noses were nearly touching. He could feel her breath on her face as his body pressed against hers and then, in that glorious moment, their lips pressed together. Even if they were kissing regularly, it still took Luffy's breath away every time.

As they parted for air, Robin was staring at him with wide, dark eyes and Luffy felt his whole body shiver.

"Alright," he agreed softly. "Let's go."

* * *

He could taste the ale on her lips as they stumbled into the ship. Their lips smooched together tightly, hot and sweaty, unwilling to break the connection even for breath. Everything was quiet in the dead of night, but Luffy's heart was so loud it felt deafening. Robin's body was warm as sweaty as she wrapped her long legs around his waist.

Finally, the kiss broke. Luffy was gasping for breath, but when he saw the sultry look on her face his knees nearly buckled. He wasn't so great at reading body language, but this one was obvious.

"Yep," Luffy said definitely. "That was a good party."

Robin giggled as she pressed again, kissing his neck tenderly before moving upwards to nibble on his ear. Luffy groaned quietly as her hands ran under his jacket and across his chest, while Robin just pushed him against the wall.

It _had_ been a good party. They laughed, they sung, they danced and they drank. It was a great night, and Robin and Luffy had been side by side the entire time. And then, when everybody else was either dead drunk or asleep, Robin pulled Luffy to one side and started kissing him. And then she just didn't stop kissing him.

He could feel her heart pounding as the stream of wanton kisses continued. She was normally so calm and reserved. It gave him goose bumps to see this side of her.

Robin practically dragged him up the gangplank into the Going Merry, not that Luffy needed any encouragement. He almost tripped over the threshold and they both burst out into a fit of giggles that only ceased when they pressed their mouths together in a long, passionate kiss. They were both grinning madly at each other, but then the moment was broken by a light flickering on in the lounge. They both jumped.

"Sanji," Luffy hissed quickly, and he and Robin quickly crept towards the storage room. Robin pressed her finger to her lips as she quietly closed the door the door behind them.

"Won't they hear us?" Luffy whispered, motioning to the latch to the women's room, where Conis, Vivi, Nami and Aisa slept.

"Can't be helped," Robin replied quietly, pressing close against Luffy as they rummaged through the dark storage room. The room was cramped with barrels and crates stacked along the side, and junk littered across the floor. Luffy nearly banged his knee against a cannon. "This is a small ship; there's not much space for _privacy_."

He was still rummaging around in the dark, struggling not to make a move when Robin twisted him around and pulled him in for another, longer kiss. Luffy's heart stopped. Robin's lips were soft and tender.

"We're just going to have to be quiet," she muttered breathlessly, pressing up against him so tightly he could feel her breasts squeezing against his chest.

It took a few seconds for Luffy's brain to restart. "I'm not the one who _screams_," he whispered quietly in her ear.

Her hands caressed playfully across his chest. Even in the dark, he could see the twinkle in her eyes. "Well, then…" Robin teased. "… I take that as a challenge…"

She kissed him again, hotter and more passionate than ever as she pushed him backwards. Luffy crashed into a stack of barrels, and he winced as they rolled together in the dark, struggling to get comfortable in the cluttered mess. Her long, toned leg slowly wrapped around his waist as their pelvises pressed together.

Luffy had to bite his lip as he stifled a groan, while his hand started from her shin and slowly caressed upwards towards her thigh. _God, her legs just didn't stop_…

The air between them was electric, and Luffy honestly wasn't sure whether that was from his Devil fruit or just the heat of the moment. Robin leaned further into him, but then the barrel behind him slipped and Luffy nearly fell to the ground on his bum. It was so horribly bad timing that they both burst out into fits of hushed laughter.

"There's not much room here to…" Luffy whispered with a hint of hesitation, still rummaging around in the cluttered space. They didn't have a bed, a chair, or even a patch of ground in the overcrowded room. "… to… you know…"

Robin smiled. "I'm sure we'll make do," she whispered, followed by a ruffle of fabric as she pulled her shirt off over her head. Luffy gulped, shifting as he struggled to restrain the burning pressure in his trousers.

It was too dark to even see any details, but then he felt the cool press of her bare skin against his body. He could feel the soft points of her nipples against his chest.

Luffy tried to say something, but somehow all that came out was an incoherent murmur. Robin was completely topless and pushing against him. The concept was mind-blowing.

She smiled, her lips hovering next to his with tentative care. They had kissed and experimented with their new relationship, but ever since that first night they hadn't had sex. Luffy could feel the tension in the air, but it wasn't weird and magical anymore. There were expectations and nerves, and suddenly Luffy felt more lost than he had ever been.

Robin must have picked up on the slight hesitation. "Are you ok?" She asked quietly, gently stroking his shoulder.

"Yeah…" he murmured in a sheepish whisper. "I just… I just don't want to do anything wrong…"

Her grin widened, moving the distance to kiss him with such a soft intensity that it took his breath away. Her arms were around him, soft and comforting. "You won't," Robin promised, gently wrapping his hands in hers as she guiding his groping fingers around her body. "… Just take it slow, and steady… and don't be nervous…"

There was a click as her belt unbuckled, followed by a light swoosh as her trousers dropped to the floor. Robin slowly guided Luffy's hands downwards. "Keep it smooth. You don't have to know everything straight away; just stay calm and… and…" Robin gasped. "… _learn_…"

They were so close their bodies squished together. Robin's hands were everywhere, scratching along his back as she pushed his jacket off slowly. The ship creaked quietly as it rocked on the gentle midnight waves. Their bodies tensed and convulsed together, in gentle, rhythmic motions.

"You don't have to _do_ anything," Robin whispered in a wheezy breath, meeting his eyes as her hand pushed through the hemline of his trousers. "…We're doing it together…"

The air snapped. Luffy's fingers caressed her inner thigh, before easing through the warmth of her sex and pushing into her body. Robin convulsed with every twitch, gasping around him as he moved pushed forward with regular, steady strikes. Her hips moved in rhythm with him, as Luffy pressed two fingers further into her. Her body was warm, muscular and tight, and the smell of her sweat nearly drove him mad.

In that moment, there was absolutely nothing in the world but her. His head was spinning, but he was completely focused on every motion and every sensation. The blood roared through his body like fire and his heart pounded like a jackhammer, but that was still overwhelmed by tastes and feelings flooding through his body.

Robin groaned weakly as he kissed her neck tenderly, his hands still moving inside her with steady intensity. Her body was sweating madly, even despite the cool sea air. Her breath was short and choppy, while her groping hands finally pushed Luffy's trousers downwards. Both her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, while Luffy's hands grabbed her from behind to lift her off the ground. They spun around, and Robin's back pressing her against the wall.

Luffy felt like solid muscle. His abs were as well-defined as stone, and his biceps held her firmly in place. She was more than happy to let him take the lead, while Luffy's movements quickly became more and more confident.

"I can promise something…" Robin muttered in a sultry whisper. "… the second time is always better than the first…"

Even in the darkness, she could feel his grin as he pushed her against the wall. The wood creaked.

Robin had been bit tipsy from drinking, but she was absolutely giddy from adrenaline and exhilaration. Luffy made her feel like a teenager again. He was the only person who could put her completely at ease and make her truly smile. Every muscle was more relaxed than it had ever been as Luffy pressed towards her, and, with a breathless moan, their bodies squeezed together.

She didn't scream, mostly because but her lungs could barely breathe. He was inside of her smoothly, thrusting forward in steady strikes as her whole body meshed around him. Robin's eyes bulged in breathless bliss, while Luffy gasped and wheezed with the overpowering feeling.

Time didn't matter. Robin honestly wasn't even able to keep count. The pace seemed to increase into an infinite crescendo so intense it was indescribable. While the rest of the ship slept, Robin and Luffy were snuggled away at the back of the storage room, nestled into crates and barrels as their bodies writhed together as one.

It wasn't a climax. The word didn't do it justice. It was more like soaring into the sky, higher and higher, and then finally breaking into orbit. Their bodies convulsed together in raw, primal bliss that left Robin a dripping puddle of heat and nerves, but she didn't care because they were caught in a timeless moment of ecstasy. She blacked out for a moment as the whole world collapsed around them.

Her whole body shivered as she panted breathlessly, trembling from the phantom orgasm that still danced through her nerves. It took nearly a minute before her body started working again, blinking repeatedly as she tried to process her surroundings. The only thing she was aware of was Luffy, lying on top of her in a sagging, wheezing heap.

When Robin first decided to tag along with the crew, she had had no intention of ever taking a teenage lover. Now, it seemed like the best decision she had ever made.

Her body blazed with sudden, furious desire as shot forward, kissing Luffy passionately as their lips squelched together and their tongues roamed each other's mouths. Luffy's eyes widened in shock with her intensity as Robin pushed him backwards. He landed on his back on the ground, with Robin draped over him without breaking their kiss.

Their naked bodies squirmed together on the ground, while Robin slowly straddled his waist. Her tongue roamed across his chest as Luffy kneaded her breasts. Their bodies were still burning with lust for each other, and they weren't done.

Hours later, Robin and Luffy were left gasping weakly on the ground next each to each other. Their bodies were soaked in each other's sweat and juices, but neither of them cared. Dawn would be coming soon and they need to move, but at this point neither of them could walk straight.

Hell, neither of them could even _think_ straight.

Luffy was panting as he twisted his head to look at Robin. The raven-haired woman was lying limply on the floor, hair spilled over her face, as she gasped for breath. He was so close that he could see every bead of sweat dropping down her body. Luffy gulped weakly.

The first time had been so exhilarating and overwhelming he hadn't properly appreciated it. This time, he had known what to do, they had been more comfortable together, and it all been less mind-blowing and more intense.

"You're right," Luffy gasped with a weak nod. "The second time is definitely better."

Robin was grinning as she rolled over. The exhaustion left them so shattered that they wanted to collapse and sleep for days, but their hearts were still fluttering. "Do you want to know a secret?" She asked with a playful smile.

"What?"

Her grin widened. "The third time is always better than the second."

* * *

The next morning arrived sluggishly. Fortunately, everybody had been deep asleep last night and nobody heard a thing. Robin claimed that she went to bed late and woke up early to research the Poneglyphs and nobody noticed that she was wearing the same clothes as last night. Luffy said that he had spent the night sleeping on deck, in his special seat. Nobody noticed that they were both walking funny, or that they both used the shower at the same time. Most of the crew had too much of a hangover to pay much attention.

The whole island had an air of quiet peace. Even as the outpost woke up for another day of bustling trade, the Going Merry was almost serenely quiet.

It was noon when Wiper walked slowly up the gangplank. Zoro was on deck, working out as he did pull ups from the mast. The swordsman looked at the raider curiously.

"Had fun?" Zoro asked nonchalantly, groaning as he pulled himself up. His feet were weighted down with cannonballs to make it move of a work out.

Wiper just grunted, but he stared behind at the giant golden bell glinting in the sunlight. "I guess this is your journey over, then," Zoro said casually. "I mean, you've found bell again. Last wish of Calgara was to protect it, and all that."

The raider paused. "I've just shared a drink with the descendent of Noland," Wiper muttered quietly. "I think Calgara's will is fulfilled."

Zoro looked at him quietly. If he had been anyone else, Zoro would have sworn that there were tears swelling in Wiper's eyes. The angry, violent raider was smiling as he stared at the magnificent bell.

"I'm just really, really happy that I got to be here," Wiper admitted softly. For once, the berserker looked almost at peace.

The swordsman smirked, dropping to the ground. "What now, then?" he asked curiously.

Wiper shrugged. "Well, I guess I could stick around for a bit," he said, with careful non-commitment.

"Even if your dream is already fulfilled?"

There was a burst of laughter from ship. Wiper turned to watched Aisa laughing as she played in the tangerine trees, chasing after Carue happily. Wiper stared quietly for a couple of seconds.

"I suppose I'll have to find a new dream now," he muttered under his breath. Zoro grinned, and the two of them spent the day arguing, sparring and training together in a friendly rivalry.

* * *

Nami panted as she swirled her blade around, her nimble fingers adjusting the controls for the Dials in the pommel as the iron cloud swirled around her like a whip. The navigator was wearing a tight black training top and shorts, her hair tied upwards in bun as she trained; dancing and slicing the air with agile grace.

She was definitely getting better. Nami wasn't an amateur with a sword anymore, and she was just starting to develop her own fighting style. Zoro was still better, of course, but Nami had fast reflexes, good instincts and a lot of agility. She had yet to prove a formidable challenge to the swordsman, but with her cloud sword she was definitely getting close.

The whole crew was training more. There was no verbal agreement, but it seemed like everyone just decided independently that they needed to get stronger. Zoro and Wiper were sparring nearly constantly, while Chopper was brewing Rumble balls for Usopp. Even Conis had gone around asking every single member other the crew, including Nami, if they could help teach her how to fight. They had all agreed.

Nami's muscles ached slightly as she dove and spun around with her blade, the iron cloud spinning around her like a whip. Her concentration was solely on every movement, every step, as she cut down hundreds of enemies in her imagination. Strangely, in her mind's eye, her invisible foes all looked like Marcus.

"Hey," a quiet voice greeted, shaking Nami out of her focus. "Can I join you?"

Nami flinched as she turned to stare at Vivi, staring towards her with a quiet smile. The princess was wearing a long blue dress and an orange jacket covered with yellow stars as approached Nami. The navigator smiled slightly woodenly.

"Alright," Nami muttered, feeling her body tense. "I suppose we can't avoid each other for ever…"

Vivi winced slightly. Nami dropped out of her stance and looked at her expectantly, while Vivi bit her lip hesitantly. "Do you want to spar?" Vivi asked after an awkward silence.

Nami nodded, lifting her sword upwards. Vivi quietly drew her Peacock Slashers, twirling the blades around her fingers lazily. Vivi's old Slashers had been destroyed by Marcus in Mock Town, Nami recalled, but she must have had Usopp build replacements sometime. Her new weapons of choice were larger, heavier and sharper; dual chakrams of polished steel suspended by a finely crafted metal chain.

The two girls dropped into a fight stance, walking around each other quietly. Somehow, it was much easier to talk when they were sparring. It was less complicated.

"Be careful," Nami warned, hoisting her large cloud sword upwards. "This sword has quite a long reach."

Vivi frowned. "You realise that I'm made of sand, right?" She asked with a smile. "You can't even touch me with–"

As quick as flash, Nami lunged with her sword. The blade extended into a bat of heavy white cloud that swung towards Vivi. The princess never even reacted as the cloud lightly swatted her over the head.

"Ow!" Vivi exclaimed, as Nami smirked. She looked confused. "But how…?"

"I might have made some improvements," Nami explained smugly. It was more accurate to say that Wiper made them, but that wasn't important. She hoisted up the sword proudly; the blade was still solid white but the bulky pommel had been retrofitted with a lighter, two-handed handle. She had so many modifications planned for her new sword. "This is the _Clima-Blade_ now. It still uses an Eisen Dial to shape the blade, but I've altered the density a bit. I've added Seastone into the cloud, which means that it will paralyse any Devil fruit user it touches. Not even a Logia could phase through this blade."

"Hmm…" Vivi muttered, tying her long cyan blue hair into a pony tail. "Well in that case, I've got no guilt about doing _this_!"

She flicked out her hand, and instantly a wave of sand exploded from her fingertips. Nami slammed her sword out, but she was too slow. The surge of sand nearly took Nami off her feet, but she recovered quickly and lashed out with her blade. Vivi already disintegrated into the storm, spinning around the navigator.

"Too slow," Vivi chided, lashing out with a blade of sand from behind. Nami kept her composure fairly well, dodging the churning sand and striking forward with her sword, the edge forming into a skewer that shot at the princess.

_She's a lot better at her control_, Nami realised with a grin as Vivi dematerialised in a flash. Instantly, Nami realised why Vivi's new Peacock Slashers were heavier than the old ones; the metal chakrams spun in the sandstorm, slicing towards Nami in a furious assault of sand and steel. Nami barely managed to parry the spinning blades, but with the long chain Vivi could attack from any direction. The sand blinded her and seared at her skin, while the Peacock Slashers kept her constantly on the defensive. It was a combo that Nami barely managed to parry.

Still, Nami's swordsmanship was brilliant. She wasn't as strong as Zoro, but she was nimble and a lot craftier. Even despite Vivi's advantage, Nami didn't give her any chance to pause. Her feet skirted across the ground, lunging at Vivi whenever she reformed and predicting every attack with unnerving accuracy.

The two of them danced across the ground in a swirling storm of sand and cloud, gradually increasing in pace as they became more confident with the other's skill. Vivi probably had the edge, but Nami didn't give any ground easily.

A burst of laughter broke from Nami's mouth as she twirled. Vivi was a flash of blue hair in the storm of orange, but she was chuckling too. Every attack became more elaborate, less serious as the girls danced with each other.

"So…" Nami muttered after a while, as Vivi slashed her chains in an arc towards Nami's legs. The navigator easily skipped over the attack. "You ready to talk now?"

"Guess so," Vivi replied awkwardly, but neither of them stopped sparring. "It's just…"

"We've both got a crush on the same guy," Nami said bluntly, causing Vivi to lose her concentration and for Nami to land a strike on her shoulder. Fortunately there was no sharp edge on the Clima-Blade. "We both like Luffy."

Vivi hesitated. The sandstorm wavered slightly. "Yeah," Vivi muttered with a gulp. It had been hanging over them since Skypiea, and it was awkward. "That's pretty much it."

Nami nodded, forcing herself to stay calm. "Right." Nami waited for Vivi to recover and the spar to begin again. Nami glanced at her best friend curiously. "For how long?"

"Since Alabasta," Vivi admitted, focusing firmly on every swipe and parry and not on Nami. "Luffy is just… he's always there for me. Whenever I need him, he's there, and he just…" She paused. "And I just want to be there for him."

Nami swung her sword in a light swipe. "Yeah I get it," Nami sighed. "I really do."

It had become harder and harder to hold back her feelings for her captain. Nami found herself reflecting on absolutely everything he did and realising how much she appreciated. She loved the dumb way he cheered everyone up, she loved the way they would argue, and she even loved the way he would pester her gently as she was mapmaking. There had been several nights when he would just sit next to her, peering over her shoulder as she sat craned over her desk. Whenever Nami fell asleep working, she would always wake up with a blanket around her.

Nami loved Luffy. She had never known love before, she had never even had a boyfriend before (all those pirates she seduced for their money didn't count), but she was become more and more certain with every passing day that she was in love with him.

And it was just made all the more difficult because she knew that Vivi must feel the exact same way.

They exchanged a few half-hearted parries in silence for a while. "You know that you're my best friend, right?" Nami said finally.

"Yeah," the princess smiled softly. "You're mine too."

"We shouldn't be fighting like this… I really don't want to lose you." _And I don't want to lose Luffy either_, Nami added silently. "It's…"

"It's not up to us," Vivi said quietly, as the sandstorm vanished. Her body rematerialized and absorbed the swirling sand. "We can't go on like this and we can't just treat Luffy like… like he's some object labelled 'boyfriend'. It's disrespectful to him, and is disrespectful to us."

Nami lowered her blade. "You're right," she agreed with only a touch of reluctance. She had been thinking a very similar thing, but she never liked where she knew this conversation was heading.

"We're going to have to tell him how we feel," Vivi continued with a twinge of nervousness. "Otherwise we don't have any right arguing between ourselves."

"You want to go up to him and say 'Oi, Luffy – we both have a huge crush on you, so you've got to decide between us'?" Nami asked sarcastically.

"Well, _no_," Vivi conceded. "We've got to be more subtle than that."

"Luffy's still an idiot," Nami argued dryly. "If we have to wait for him to pick up on the signs then we're both going to die alone."

Vivi giggled. "So we'll have to figure it out," she said with a sigh, smiling at Nami. It felt much better to joke about it than strew over it. "But we're still going to have to do _something_."

"Yeah," Nami agreed with a smile. "It is his choice as well." Her voice sobered slightly. "But the problem is, even if we promise to stay friends and be nice, this still makes us rivals. I really don't want to have to compete with you, Vivi."

Vivi shifted uncomfortably. "I know," she said uncertainly, biting her lip. If either of them had been willing to concede, then there wouldn't be a problem. Vivi knew that she should put her friendship first, but at the same time she would forever doubt herself if she just rolled over. Vivi really didn't want to have to doubt herself anymore. "But is there any other way?"

"Suppose not," Nami said with a nod, walking over to her best friend and extending her hand. "So we're agreed?"

Vivi shook it firmly. "Yes," the princess said, more confidently than she felt. "Luffy decides."

* * *

Luffy watched the waves washed lazily against the shore as he held Robin's hand lightly. "So…" Luffy muttered. "Tell me about these Poneglyphs?"

Robin hesitated. The last time anyone had questioned her about the Ancient History, it had been nearly a decade ago when she had been dating a young sailor, and she had confessed about her past. She later found out that that young man was actually undercover for one of the World Government Cipher Pols, and he had seduced her in order to interrogate her about her knowledge of the Poneglyphs. Later, he tried to assassinate her. Ever since then, Robin had never shared her history with anyone, not even people she thought she could trust.

Luffy must have sensed her discomfort. He didn't push the issue, but he just stroked the back of her hand gently. "Hey," Luffy said happily, picking up a rock as he changed the subject with an endearing lack of subtlety. "Look at how far I can through this stone!"

Robin smiled as the stone went shooting off into the distance, and she snuggled into Luffy's shoulder as they watched the sunset together. Luffy knew she was hiding something from him, but he never pushed her for it. It wasn't that he didn't care, he just knew that Robin didn't like talking about it. As far as he was concerned, if it hurt Robin to say it then he never needed to know.

She loved for it. She absolutely and totally adored him for it.

Deep down, Robin knew in her heart that it would never last between them. Sooner or later, the government would track her down and they would hurt anyone they could to get to her. Eventually, Robin knew that she would have to run away to protect them. She was a 'Devil Child' after all; everyone around her was cursed. If there was one thing that her childhood had taught her, it was that everyone who tried to love her ended up dead.

Still, for the moment, Robin just cuddled up to Luffy, watching the sunset as she tried to pretend that maybe this time would be different.

The minutes passed by a comfortable silence as the water lapped around their ankles. The moments they spent together were so relaxed and comfortable she never wanted them to end. Robin felt herself start to drift off as she stared at red sky, but eventually she had to move.

"We should get back," she muttered sleepily.

Luffy yawned and stretched out. "Alright," he agreed tiredly, groaning as he pulled himself up.

They walked hand in hand across the beach, but it was only when they got closer to the docks that they let go of each other for fear they'd be spotted. Robin wasn't quite sure why they were still keeping their relationship a secret, to be honest; she was rapidly reaching a level of comfort where she didn't care what anyone else thought.

"How much longer are we going to stay on Jaya?" Robin asked curiously, after a long pause. The hectic outpost was quickly coming into view. They were heading along the edge of the cliff, towards the giant cut-out of a mansion picture that was Cricket's half of a house.

Luffy shrugged. "Don't know. Zoro wants to stay here a bit longer, though."

She frowned. The swordsman handed left the ship for the entire visit. "Really? Why?"

He just shrugged again. "I never asked," he explained simply.

_He really doesn't mind_, Robin thought quietly, glancing at Luffy curiously; _he just trusts his friends without any need for explanation_. As far as Luffy was concerned; if no one wanted to tell him then he really didn't need to know. Luffy's faith in his crew was absolutely infallible; he just assumed that they would always have their reasons. If it had been Robin, she wouldn't be able to rest without some sort of justification.

As they approached the makeshift harbour, they saw two figures standing by the gangplank of a large galleon. The tall, muscled figure with a chestnut on his head was absolutely unmistakable.

Luffy grinned. "Oi! Mr Chestnut head!" He shouted, waving happily at Montblanc Cricket. "Hey!"

Cricket turned to glare at him, slightly annoyed at interruption to the conversation he had been having with the other man. The Boss of Saruyama Alliance was wearing a dark grey suit now, even if his collar unfastened and he wore it with a general disregard for tidiness. Cricket took a breath of his cigarette.

"That's not my name, brat," Cricket grunted, but without any real anger. He liked Luffy, after all. "You enjoy the party last night?"

"Yep! It was great!" Luffy said brightly, with only a slight glance at Robin. The statement was true enough, but after-party had been much, much better. "Thanks so much!"

"Glad to hear it. You're welcome hear so long as I have any say. My door is always open for men that pursue their dreams," he said with a smile. Despite his gruff attitude, Cricket was still a romantic at heart. "You heading off, then?"

"Eh, I'll probably hanging around for a few days," Luffy said with a shrug. He glanced towards the man that Cricket had been talking to curiously. Robin stayed quite few feet away, observing coolly.

Cricket snorted. "Ah, this is Professor Hamilton," Cricket introduced gruffly. "We were just talking about moving the golden bell somewhere else for restoration. He's with the Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line."

Robin frowned. Luffy made a face. "Huh, that's a really long name."

Professor Hamilton just smiled. He was short but lean man, wearing a tweed jacket and large horn-rimmed glasses. He was young, fairly handsome in a scholarly sort of way, and there was just a line of grey in his dark hair.

"Yes," the historian agreed, extending a hand covered in a clean satin glove. His voice was educated, unaccented and softly spoken. He had a very light handshake. "We're working on it."

Robin took a step forward cautiously, staring at Professor Hamilton coolly. "I'm sorry, Professor," she asked in a deliberately polite voice. "Where did you say you were from again?"

The man smiled softly. "The Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line."

There was a pause. Robin kept her expression completely neutral for a few seconds, and the she smiled and nodded slowly. "Oh, _of course_."

They were both completely polite as they shook hands. It would have a took a very keen eye to notice that Robin's smile was somewhat glassy, and there was a flicker of discomfort across Professor Hamilton's face.

Luffy looked between them curiously. "Huh, I thought you would both know each other." He scratched confusedly. "You know, since you're both historians and all that."

Professor Hamilton's smile was fixed in place. "Well, I don't really get out much," he explained. "I'm really more of an academic, whereas the esteemed Nico Robin is–"

"An _archaeologist_." Robin's voice was sickly sweet. "Why, I'm flattered that you've heard of me?"

"But of course," the historian replied smoothly. His eyes glinted for a second. "The famed scholar from Ohara is really quite famous in my circle of colleagues."

She paused before replying. Luffy had the distinct impression that there was some hidden conversation going right over his head. He looked at Professor Hamilton again. Compared to the bulk and muscle of Cricket, the historian was a stick insect.

"Huh." Robin smiled again. "I would so appreciate meeting your _colleagues_."

Professor Hamilton's smile widened slightly. "And it would be my _honour_ to introduce you," he said slickly, before turning back towards Cricket. "Please excuse me, Mr Cricket, but it seems that I really must be going. This day has just flown by, it seems."

Cricket frowned. "Alright," he muttered with a shrug. "We'll finish up later."

"Of course." Professor Hamilton bowed respectfully, adjusting his glasses before turning around and walking away. Robin watched him go.

Luffy looked at her curiously. Her composure was absolutely perfect, but through his Haki Luffy could sense that she was troubled about something. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

Robin smiled at him. She was very good at hiding what she was feeling with a smile. "It's fine," she muttered quietly, walking away slowly. "Go back to the ship. I'll catch up to you later."

* * *

Professor Hamilton didn't run. He didn't even walk quickly. His pace was calm, measured and collected as he headed outwards from the beach. He then proceeded to do a lap around the outpost, pausing behind a corner to ensure that no one was following him, and then he went straight back towards his ship, taking care not be seen. Absolutely nobody in the outpost noticed him as slipped through the busy harbour.

The slender man jogged up the gangway of the large galleon with surprising agility, before dropping below deck and jumping down the stairs in a single leap.

He burst into the mess room with urgent haste. Inside, there were several men crowded around a circular table, playing poker.

"Guys!" Professor Hamilton announced to the stunned room. "We _may_ have a problem."

Nobody spoke for a few seconds. There was click of door closing behind him, and high heeled boots walking into the room. Professor Hamilton gulped. Nico Robin was _also_ very good at not being noticed.

"Yeah, I think you do," Robin agreed as she glared at the room with folded arms. "'The Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line' _doesn't exist_."

The men stared at her in stunned silence. Besides Professor Hamilton, none of them looked much like historians.

"What's she doing here?" A man demanded nervously. He was large, fat with bloated red cheeks, wearing a stripy yellow jacket and a pink hat. "She can't be here–"

"Quiet!" Professor Hamilton snapped.

"But she shouldn't be in–"

"Just be quiet!" Professor Hamilton ordered in flustered tone, before straightening his tweed jacket and turning towards Robin again. He forced a smile, while Robin glared at him suspiciously. "Ah, Ms Robin." Professor Hamilton's voice was instantly smooth and composed. "How pleasant of you to join us. I'm afraid you must be mistaken, the Royal Society for the Preservation of History in the Grand Line is a _very_ old and respected institution–"

"Oh really?" Robin interrupted sharply. She was sure to keep her distance, her body poised for a sudden fight. "_How_ old?"

"I'm not sure," a man answered from the poker table. He was medium height, but stocky, with a heavily scarred face and a bald head. Unlike everyone else in the room, he sounded almost amused with the situation. From her position, Robin could see the poker cards he was holding – apparently he had five kings. "What day is it? I reckon is it must be at least a week by now."

Professor Hamilton winced slightly, glaring at the scarred man irritably. He just grinned in reply. "Ignore my companion, he has a poor sense of humour. It is a _very_ venerable institution whose origins date back towards the founding of the World Government itself." His voice was pure silk; soft, cultured and reassuring. "We are dedicated to conserving historical relics across the globe. Why, the Royal Society of History in the Grand Line –"

"You missed out a bit," Robin interjected.

Professor Hamilton never missed a beat. " – the Royal Society _for the Preservation of_ History in the Grand Line is–"

"You see?" One of the other poker players protested smugly - a tall man wearing a brown suit and a cowboy hat. "I _told_ you that we should have picked a shorter name."

"I still say that we should have gone for an acronym," another argued, throwing some chips onto the table. He was short, stocky dwarf crunching his way through a bag of biscuits. "Something quick and bouncy that rolls off the tongue."

"You all said that _my_ acronyms were too vulgar," the scarred man added cheerfully, looking at Robin brightly.

A vein pulsed in Professor Hamilton's forehead. "You guys _really_ aren't helping here," he hissed angrily at poker players.

"Not trying to," the scarred man said with a wide grin, folding his arms as he lent back in his chair.

Professor Hamilton twitched as he turned back towards Robin. His voice had a desperate tone to it. "These are my society colleagues, please forgive their appearances but it _has_ been a long a sea journey," he said in a forced voice, clinging to the deception in like a man frantically trying to scoop water out of a sinking ship. "This is Professor Daisuke…" He motioned to the fat, timid man. "… Professor Namami…" He pointed to the tall cowboy hat. "… Professor Dagmund." The short dwarf. "… and… um… Professor…"

"Bloodgrin," the scarred man said happily, extending his hand to Robin. "Professor Bloodgrin. Pleased to meet ya."

Hamilton groaned and rubbed his face exasperatedly. Robin stared at 'Professor' Bloodgrin in shock. The man grinned evilly, revealing several gold teeth. If there had been any police officers around, Bloodgrin would have been arrested on the spot. There was absolutely no possibility that a man with a face like that could ever be innocent of _anything_.

His face was marred by dozen of scars. One particularly long scar ran from the bridge of his nose to his temple, from a blade wound that took his right eye. He was also missing his left ear, and his head was completely bald. He had a face that looked like it had been designed specifically to be on a mugshot, but at the same time Bloodgrin had the type of primal aura that was normally only found on wild animals. Robin found herself feeling slightly uncomfortable just being in his presence. He was the type of person that could commit sexual harassment while sitting quietly in the corner of an adjoining room.

"Oh really?" Robin said slowly, looking Bloodgrin up and down. "And what are you a professor of?"

Bloodgrin's smile widened. It was a smile usually only seen on sharks. "_Interpretive dance_."

Hamilton groaned, taking off his horn-rimmed glasses and dropping them to the ground. "You're killing me here," he muttered tiredly, still glaring at Bloodgrin.

Robin carefully backed away. If things turned violent, she wanted enough space to use her powers. Bloodgrin still had his hand extended, but Robin didn't touch it. "Ah, don't be like that, love," he said cheerfully. "We're not going hurt you. As a matter of fact, our boss gave us specific orders that we weren't to obstruct or interfere with you or your crew in any way."

Hamilton was still staring at Bloodgrin. "Do you remember what _else_ the boss said about her?" Hamilton growled angrily.

"Of course I do!" Bloodgrin protested. "He said under no circumstances were we to reveal who we really are to her." He paused. "Oops. My bad."

Robin never moved. Her eyes flickered across the five men, carefully assessing every detail. "You're not historians," she muttered coldly. "You're _conmen_. You're going to steal the golden bell." Her eyes flashed with uncharacteristic anger. "You're taking advantage of Cricket just to _rob_ a piece of history."

Hamilton suddenly turned serious. All smoothness was gone as he stared at her soberly. "You are wrong," he stated in a much colder voice. "We are not here to rob history, we are here to _protect_ it. It might have been under false pretences, but we were honest about our intentions."

"And why would you care so much about the golden bell?" She demanded suspiciously.

Hamilton shook his head, pulling off his satin gloves and the tweed jacket. Honestly, a tweed jacket, black shoes and horn-rimmed glasses. It was like he only had a vague stereotype of what historians looked like, but he had just dressed up anyways.

"We do not," he admitted. "We do not care about the golden bell at all. We are here for the _Poneglyph_."

Robin froze, her mind reeling. "You know the Ancient History?!"

"No. You are the only one who can read the Ancient Language, and I honestly don't have a clue what it says," Hamilton said with a shrug. He might be skinny, but his arms were toned and well-muscled. He didn't look quite so harmless without the whole 'academic' act. "All I know is that the World Government does not want those Poneglyphs to exist. That alone is enough for us to fight to protect it."

The room was quiet. One by one, the men all stood up from the poker table and stood behind Hamilton. The air was still.

"We are going to protect the bell too, of course. We do not care about the gold," Hamilton said in a quietly firm voice. "We are going to pay to have the bell restored, and we are going to ensure that the true story of Noland the Liar and the golden bell is such a big headline that not even the World Government will be able to quietly make it disappear. They _are_ going to try and get rid of what that tablet says, eventually." His eyes were dark. "And when they do, we're going to slaughter every last one of them. Please do not underestimate our commitment to this cause."

"_Why?_" Robin growled, her eyes unblinking. Her hands were trembling slightly with the thought. _He was a liar_, she told herself firmly. No one stood up against the Government when it wanted to destroy history. "_Why would you?_"

"Because _someday_…" There was a quiet emphasis on the word. "… the World Government will be gone and then the people will want to know the truth about their past. We are here to make sure that the truth is still around for when that day comes."

"Got nothing to fear from us, love," Bloodgrin said with smirk. "The way I see it, we're on the same side."

Robin never moved. Hamilton smiled softly as he took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it coolly. He slowly started to roll up his sleeves, revealing a crisscrossing, red tribal mark tattooed onto his left forearm, shaped like three diamonds on top of each other, with a circle in the centre of each. Robin's eyes widened. She recognised that symbol, even if the World Government refused to publish it.

"If you ever want an ally in your fight," Hamilton muttered quietly. "Then Monkey D. Dragon will be happy to answer the call."

Robin froze, eyes bulging in shock. _Monkey D…?!_

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Firstly, an apology. My update release schedule has been utterly abysmal lately, and I'm really sorry about that. The next chapter will be uploaded pretty shortly, but after that I can't make any guarantees on how long it'll take.**

**Also, yes, I've introduced five new OCs in this chapter. I quite like them, and I think I've got a good story planned with them, but let me know what you think. Right now, I really want to get to the Water 7 arc, though I am debating whether I should add another shorter island in the gap. I won't be doing the ****Davy Back Fight Arc, mind, just because I've never liked that one.**

**Next chapter: 'Tribunal'...**


	26. Chapter 26: Tribunal

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I figured I was a bit too ambitious trying to become Oda's arch-nemesis. Instead, I'm now aiming for more minor villain/annoyance. From now on, I'm going to criticise every element of Oda's story, spam message boards, forums and reviews with insensitive remarks, and just generally try to make life a bit worse for One Piece fans. That's right, I've now devolved into a troll.**

**Hey, if you can't beat them, join them.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The Marines, led by Smoker and Hina, suffered a huge loss as their ship dropped out of Skypiea to fates unknown. Tashigi was on-board, and is due for a tribunal to defend her actions in Alabasta.**_

_**Meanwhile, the pirates docked at Jaya Island, and Luffy 's and Robin's relationship is becoming more intimate quickly.**_

* * *

**Chapter 26: Tribunal**

* * *

"You ready?" Smoker asked curiously, hesitating slightly at the gangway of the battleship. There was just a hint of caution in his voice.

Tashigi smiled softly and nodded. The last three days had been the most hectic, confused and nerve-wracking of her whole life. "Yeah," Tashigi replied quietly, forcing the hesitation out of her voice. "Let's go."

The captain nodded. Smoker's clothes had been soaked and ruined after their days at sea, but he had borrowed a pair of trousers and a white shirt that was several sizes too big. As a sign of his rank, he had also been given an officer's jacket, but Tashigi couldn't help notice how all of the marines around them hesitated slightly before saluting.

The battleship was tall and imposing, a mammoth of a vessel that made their old one look like a dingy boat. Everything was sharper, metallic and dangerous. This was a ship straight from Marineford itself, while Smoker and Tashigi were two officers from a backwater outpost in the East Blue. Tashigi couldn't help feel incredibly self-conscious as she realised that just about everyone on deck had a much higher rank than her.

Two commodores flanked them from either side; both large man with sharp eyes and aura of experience, watched closely by a rear admiral looking over the procession. It had been made very clear that neither Smoker nor Tashigi were actually under arrest, on the condition that that neither of them tried to protest or run away.

At the corner of the ship, Tashigi glimpsed Captain Hina. The strawberry blond was quietly being escorted towards them; solemn and with heavy bags under her eyes. Hina was on trial too now. It wasn't every day that a captain lost a whole battleship and crew dropping out of the sky, while escorting two potential traitors to their tribunal. Of all the circumstances that Tashigi would have wanted this tribunal to happen, this was probably worse than anything Tashigi could have imagined.

They lost the entirety of their crew in the ten thousand meter plummet from the sky. It could have been so much worse if Smoker hadn't have been there. Smoker couldn't actually fly, per se, but he could hover in the air for prolonged periods of time by using his smoke to lift him upwards. The captain was able to carry Tashigi and Hina upwards, just as the raft crashed into the ocean and broke into splinters.

After that, Smoker lowered them gently into the sea, and thankfully there had been enough flotsam from the crash for the three of them to avoid drowning. Then there were two days of starvation, drifting helplessly about at sea before Hina finally made contact on her transponder snail and a ship tracked them down. All three of them were still raw, weak and hungry from the experience.

Hina took it hard. They had been her men, her comrades, and her responsibility. Smoker took it worse; it had been his mistake and his failure in judgement that cost them their lives. Tashigi had never seen the captain so distraught and doubtful before. He hadn't smoked a cigar in days, and somehow that was the worst possible sign of grief. Trying to explain the circumstances to the commodore who rescued them was the most horribly painful and humiliating memories Tashigi had ever had.

Still, now it was out of that commodore's hands. As soon as the extent of their fuck-up became apparent, it was all pushed further up the chain of command. They were in the Vice Admiral's custody now.

_Isn't military hierarchy just brilliant?_ Tashigi thought with bitter sarcasm, watching the metal doors on the deck open slowly.

Everything was quiet on deck as a three deckhands saluted like perfect clockwork. Tashigi squirmed as she debated hesitantly if she should salute too, but neither Hina nor Smoker twitched. Quiet, calm footsteps echoed over the deck as a small figure strolled towards the three of them.

A thin, elderly woman with grey hair, dark eyes and a craned neck peered curiously between Smoker, Hina and then lingering on Tashigi. Her skin was so wrinkly it looked like a dried grape, while her formal clothes were worn with casual disregard; shirt untucked, sleeves rolled up, collar opened and tie loose around her neck. Still the jacket of a Vice Admiral draped across her shoulders, and her eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. Vice Admiral Tsuru inspected her charges critically, peering down through a crooked nose.

"Hmph," Tsuru muttered finally, arms folded behind her back. "This is a right mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Smoker."

Smoker looked surprised. "Tsuru," he greeted stiffly, staring at the oldest marine still on active duty. 'Great Staff' Tsuru was a legend among the Marines. "They sent _you_ to collect us?"

The old woman scoffed, already turning around and hobbling away. "I volunteered," she explained simply. "It was a favour for Kuzan. Come on now then, the tribunal is waiting."

With a flicker of hesitation, Tashigi looked towards Smoker and clenched her fists. Smoker paused just for a second, before walking forward. Tashigi followed. "The tribunal is here?" Tashigi asked worriedly, straightening her glasses. Her hair was unwashed and filthy, and her clothes were several sizes too big.

"Yep," Tsuru nodded disinterestedly, while the other marines filed in behind them. "Course, they're not here in person – Admirals and Vice Admirals are far too busy for _that_, but they've all got transponder snails set up. Don't be nervous, dear, nobody expects this to last long."

Smoker's eyes darkened as Tsuru led them down the corridor. This was feeling more and more like a formality before the execution.

"Admiral Akainu will be presiding over the tribunal," Tsuru explained, stressing the name. "Ever since Crocodile's death, your case has gotten quite a bit of attention, so Sakazuki wants to make an example. You've got a jury of Vice Admirals and Admirals, and I hear that even Sengoku will be listening in."

"That's a lot of attention just for two Captains and a Master Chief Petty Officer," Smoker muttered under his breath, barely audible. Tashigi's stomach clenched.

Tsuru heard it anyways, and shrugged. "Eh, Sakazuki's trying to go for Fleet Admiral," she explained. "He wants to show his supporters that pirate sympathisers won't be tolerated."

The Vice Admiral stopped by a door, and paused. Tsuru stared at them quietly and suddenly Tashigi realised the reason she was talking so much. She was preparing them. "You should know…" Tsuru muttered, lowering her voice, and Tashigi recognised a flash of empathy hidden behind a façade of indifference. "…That Akainu wouldn't have put himself forward without making _preparations_."

The unspoken meaning caused the three of them to freeze. Tsuru was here as a favour for Kuzan. Tashigi wondered just what that favour actually was. _This was what I chose_, Tashigi thought darkly and her whole body tensed as Tsuru opened the door. _I chose to be here_.

Inside, there was a small, windowless room. The door was flanked by two marines holding swords, and Tsuru bolted the door behind them. Tashigi would bet money that this room was reinforced with Seastone. The far wall was covered in rows and rows of transponder snails of all different sizes and colours. Dozens of beady eyes stared down at Tashigi as she took one of the three seats in front of the monitors. Scattered all over the Grand Line, visual and sound was being transmitted to the Marine Command.

"Defendants sit down. This tribunal is now in session," The sharp voice blared from a large, red transponder snail in the middle of the shelves. It was sharp, harsh and demanding. Tashigi felt like she was on display as she stared at the transponder snail belonging to Admiral Akainu. "The defendants will now state their name and rank for the record."

It was not a question. Smoker paused, looking over the snails with sharp eyes as he tried to guess which one belonged to whom. "Captain Smoker, of the East Blue Loguetown Division."

"Captain Hina, of Section 3 Black Cage Corps."

"Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi," Tashigi intoned carefully. "Of the East Blue Loguetown Division."

There was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, like a man ticking off a list. Akainu's voice was relentless, in complete control of the proceedings. "You are all here accused of a gross misconduct, blatant incompetency, and suspected treason," Akainu said harshly, his snail frowning. Hs voice dominated the room. "Over the course of this proceeding, your offenses will be made public and a suitable punishment will be chosen, in line with the principle on which Marine Corps were founded. This is not a hearing or an inquiry, there will be no deliberation. Your transgressions have been well-documented; there is nothing to be debated. The defendants will not speak unless spoken to. _Is that understood?_ Nod, do not speak."

The sound of Smoker's teeth grinding together filled the room, but he still nodded quietly. His whole body was stiff.

"Good," Akainu said without pause. "Allow me to summarise the events that led us here. Captain Smoker, for reasons unknown, made a mockery of the chain of command and abandoned his post in Loguetown to chase a group of pirates into Grand Line, failing at every turn to capture them. During the rebellion in Alabasta, Captain Smoker failed to keep order and justice in the country, and instead spent his time chasing after some 'shadow organisation' conspiracy theory."

A vein bulged on Smoker's forehead, but not even he dared to interrupt Akainu's speech. Tashigi's fingernails dug into her palms. "Captain Smoker left his lieutenant, Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi, in command over the events in Alaburna, where she allowed and _maybe even participated in_ causing the country to fall to the brink of collapse, for pirates to murder the government official, Sir Crocodile, and then let those same pirates walk free," Akainu's voice was smoulderingly harsh. "After these events, Captain Hina later joined this growing insurgency by investing her men in an unsanctioned pursuit that has shamed the honour and professional conduct of loyal marines."

"And _now_…" Akainu continued coldly. "… the only thing left is a huge financial cost, loss of resources, and these three marines – all claiming wild and farfetched stories as their command lies in ruins."

Tashigi winced with the tone of his voice. She wondered if they would actually get the chance to defend themselves, but it probably wouldn't do any good. If Admiral Akainu wanted you guilty, you would be guilty.

"Firstly, in the sight of this _spectacular_ failure," Akainu drawled. "I hereby revoke the ranks of the defendants and place them on indefinite suspension. I will not allow any guilty party to shirk responsibility for their actions. For the remainder of this tribunal, all military privileges and the rights of the defendants have been rendered null and they will judged for their actions as _civilians_."

The proclamation sent tremors of dread down Tashigi's spine. No military privileges meant no right of attorney, or representation. It meant they couldn't claim circumstantial lenience or indict responsibility on their superiors. It meant that a whole load of punishments that would otherwise be inapplicable were suddenly back on the table.

Behind her, Vice Admiral Tsuru pursed her lips. _He's actually going to do it_, Tashigi thought with cold dread; _he's going to send us either to Impel Down or to the gallows_.

"As far as I'm concerned, the only two explanations for these offences is either gross incompetency or outright betrayal," Akainu announced to the quiet, tense room. "… _Both_ of them are capital crimes. Now then, what _excuses_ do the defendants claim for these events? Speak in turn."

Hina's body was as tense as a spring. "Unfortunate circumstances," she muttered quietly, dark eyes glaring at the transponder snails.

Smoker's nostrils flared. "_Miscommunication_," he snarled.

Tashigi took a deep breath. It was now or never. She felt her head spin and her heart flutter. "Outright betrayal."

Akainu snorted. "It is clear that the Marine Command cannot allow–" He stopped suddenly, his ears finally processing Tashigi's statement. There was a moment's of stunned silence. "Wait – _what?!_"

Tashigi felt almost giddy with adrenaline as she shrugged nonchalantly. Smoker and Hina were staring at her incredulously. "Didn't I mention that?" Tashigi said with a forced smile. Everything suddenly felt so serene that she couldn't help but grin with the absurdness of the situation. It was either laugh or curl up in a ball in fear. "For the past five years, I have been secretly working for the Straw Hat Pirates. I infiltrated the Marines since the academy, and since then I have been passing information over to the pirates while disrupting any efforts to catch them. I am solely responsible for all the crimes that you listed."

_Oh god, I really just said that out loud, didn't I_? Tashigi thought in near delirium. She had planning it since Skypiea, but it was a completely surreal experience to suddenly hear yourself announcing that you were guilty of piracy to the most powerful men on the planet. Her heart was fluttering like a mad. She couldn't blink because she felt like she would collapse if she closed her eyes.

_Ok, just breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe_, Tashigi thought desperately as she felt herself start to hyperventilate. _Come on, you've gone too far, just a bit further. Say it. Say it. Say those four words_…

"_I am a pirate._"

A stunned, frozen silence met the statement. Smoker's mouth dropped open as he stared at her, tongue flapping uselessly. Somehow, Tashigi remained completely still and upright in her chair while it felt like the whole world was crumbling around her. The silence stretched out uncomfortably.

And then, the sound of hysterical laughter split the room apart. Tashigi stared at the transponder snail on the lower shelves that was laughing furiously. It was a snail that could only belong to Vice Admiral Garp.

"Tashigi, _what are you doing?!_" Smoker hissed, clutching her shoulder tightly. Tashigi just smiled softly, despite her trembling hands.

"I'm saving your career," Tashigi whispered, so softly that no one else could hear her.

The transponder snails burst into frenzy of activity, as dozens of people started to talk at the same time. Admiral Akainu's voice cut through them all. "You are a _pirate_?!" He bellowed furiously.

_Too far to back down now_. "Yep!" Tashigi shouted with delirious cheerfulness. She had to shout to be heard. "I've been helping the Straw Hats for _years_. I let them escape in Loguetown, and then I was the one that forged the order telling Smoker to pursue them so I could help them in the Grand Line. I helped them murder Crocodile, I gave them medical attention, and then I let them go! I distracted Smoker so he wouldn't interfere! Later, I convinced Hina to pursue the Straw Hats with us, while I plotted an ambush with the pirates as a way for me to maintain my cover! I have been a spy in the marines for years!"

The frenzy became even more chaotic. In the room, the marines clutched their weapons tightly, looking at Tashigi and wondering what to do. Smoker and Hina were looking at her with absolute shock.

"YOU DARE?!" Akainu bellowed, louder than everyone else in the room. Whatever preparations he made had just been blown out of the window. "YOU THINK YOU CAN ASSOCIATE WITH PIRACY AND–"

Tashigi felt something snap in her head. All of that doubt and fear just overloaded her brain and suddenly she couldn't feel anything anymore. _Oh well. If you were going to jump of a cliff, you might as well make a splash_.

If_ I'm going to commit high treason, I might as well make it worthwhile_.

"Oh, lava boy, I'm doing _way_ more than just 'associating'!" Tashigi shouted, cutting Akainu off, as she leaned back in her chair. "Let's see… the Alabasta rebellion? I staged that. The whole Drum Kingdom affair? Me." She hesitated slightly, but then she just figured 'why the hell not?'. "That pirate raid a few days ago? I caused that! That gold theft from Vira? Those missing supply ships from Water 7? All me!"

"How about those ambushes near Twin Capes?" Tsuru suggested sarcastically, a hint of mischievousness in the old woman's eyes.

Tashigi shrugged. "Sure," she grinned brightly, before turning back to the transponder snails. "Hell, how about you just save us time and blame every crime and tragedy in the last five years on me?"

She had to shout loudly just to be heard of the ruckus. Her head was spinning madly as she focused on Akainu's snail. "Every tragedy _except_ your haircut, of course, that's one's all on you." There was a sound a lot like a bunch of papers suddenly catching fire from Akainu's snail. Tashigi grinned, but at this point she had nothing to fear by going further. "And by the way, only gay men and big fat party animals wear Hawaiian shirts, sparkles."

She could practically hear Akainu's vein throbbing from here. She half expected the transponder snail to burst into flames. "_Excuse me?!_" Akainu growled murderously.

Tashigi laughed, clutching the snail. She had probably gone insane, but she was too high to care. "Oh, Maurice, you wear a pink floral shirt and a bright red suit," Tashigi teased. She was mocking one of the most powerful men in the world, and it was brilliant. "You dress like you spent your time trawling karaoke bars, drinking piña coladas and asking big men to call you 'Shirley'." Tashigi thought about it for a moment. "Although, honestly, that might explain why you keep that metal rod rammed up so far up your ass!"

Vice Admiral Garp was laughing so hard that he might actually be dying. There was a thud from his transponder snail as the man must have dropped to the floor clutching his stomach. In the room, even Tsuru had to cough to hide a smirk. Smoker's jaw was still on the floor as he stared at Tashigi disbelievingly.

"…You… you…!" Akainu stammered, so angry that he couldn't actually force the words out. The transponder snail transformed as red as beetroot. He was hyperventilating with pure rage. "… _YOU!_ Arrest her!" The snail bellowed. "Arrest her and execute her immediately!"

Nobody in the room moved. Smoker and Hina looked at each other, their minds spinning quickly. "Well, I _would_…" Smoker said carefully. "But I've been suspended, so I'm not allowed to interfere…"

There was a murderous snarl. Tashigi was so, so very relieved that Akainu was a thousand miles away. It was much easier to be mean to someone when they weren't nearby.

"Vice Admiral Tsuru!" Akainu snapped loudly, voice echoing in the room. "I order you to arrest this trait–"

There was a sudden click and everything went quiet. Tsuru was standing by the transponder snails, calmly pressing down on the button as they all disconnected. Tashigi stared at her in surprise.

"Oh dear, look at the time," the old woman said coolly, looking at her watch with exaggerated movements. "It's time for my lunch break. I guess we'll have to resume this later."

Tashigi was quiet for a minute, before catching Tsuru's meaningful gaze and nodding dumbly. "Right," Tashigi muttered. "Lunch break. You can't be expected to arrest anyone when you're on your lunch break."

Tsuru hobbled away slowly. "Why, I have no idea what you mean, Tashigi," Tsuru said with mock confusion. "I can't remember receiving any order. Anyways, this tribunal well reconvene in… say… _seven_ minutes. I expect to see you all then." She glared at Tashigi meaningfully. "It would be _strictly_ forbidden for you to leave during that time."

Tashigi blinked. Smoker nodded slowly. "Ok then," the captain murmured quietly, before hesitating. "Will you get in trouble for this?"

Tsuru snorted. "Oh, I'm sure magma brat will try, but I'm a thousand years too old to care about anything he could do to me." She paused, motioning at the guards standing at the door. "You two – off to lunch."

The marines frowned and hesitated, glancing at Tashigi uncertainly. "But, ma'am–"

Tsuru's eyes flashed dangerously. "_Lunchtime, boys_," she ordered in a voice that left no room for argument. "Run along now."

The two men looked at each other for a brief second, and then turned to walk away quickly. Tsuru's face was as impassive as ever as she hobbled through the door, glancing back to Tashigi. "Good luck, Tashigi," the Vice Admiral muttered quietly.

The door slammed shut behind her. Instantly, Smoker and Hina were alone in the room. Tashigi let out a deep breath that she hadn't realised she was holding. _I really did that, didn't I?_ She thought with near panic, blinking repeatedly. Her knees nearly buckled.

She looked between Smoker and Hina nervously. She didn't know what to say. It was so much easier when you were just running in recklessly. "…Um…" Tashigi stammered, clutching her sword tightly. "I suppose I better run away now…"

Smoker blinked. Tashigi had never seen him look so lost. "Right," he nodded, before frowning. "What would you have done if Tsuru never let you go?"

"Fought my way out," Tashigi replied sheepishly. There had, however, been an agreement with Zoro that he would wait four days before coming after her. Smoker just scoffed. Tashigi smiled softly.

She hesitated for a second, but then she figured that he wasn't her captain anymore. Her heart was pounding as she jumped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Smoker's chest. He stiffened at the sudden hug, but then he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her too.

"The next time we meet," Smoker whispered quietly in her ear. "I'm going to have to arrest you."

Tashigi smirked. "You're going to try," she replied softly, before pulling away.

She paused to hug Hina next. The tall blond was much less tense with the intimate contact. Tashigi smiled, but she had to blink repeatedly to hold back the tears as she walked to the door. Her entire childhood, she dreamt of being a marine. As of today, that dream was officially over.

"Do you need a lift?" Hina asked curiously.

Tashigi pulled the door open slowly, and her grin widened. _I suppose the dream has to change a bit_. "No," Tashigi replied brightly. "I've got that sorted."

* * *

With a sigh, Tashigi glimpsed the sheep figurehead of the Going Merry, docked at the far side of the island as she strolled across the beach. Jaya Island was hectic with activity, and she was surrounded on all sides by pirates bustling through the new town. Tashigi felt strangely self-conscious, but nobody paid her any attention. She wasn't a marine anymore.

All it had taken was a stolen lifeboat, half a day at sea, and now Tashigi was completely finished with the Marines. She had been restlessly pacing the small boat the entire journey.

Her whole body was tense as she approached the pirate ship as she felt the doubts streaming through her head. All of her belongings fit easily into a small knapsack with space to spare. She had all three of her swords on her belt, and her jacket slung over her shoulder. Nobody noticed her arrival. For a few hesitant seconds, she stared up at the Going Merry and wondered what to do.

"Hey!" Tashigi shouted loudly. "Have you got room for one more?"

* * *

_The next day…_

The Going Merry crunched slowly through the water in the light wind, because it was impossible for all that gold to move quickly. Still, the sun was shining, the clouds were drifting idly through the sky and a peaceful buzz of activity settled on the deck.

"Well, allow me to give you the tour," Nami said with a friendly smile, walking next to Tashigi across the busy deck. The orange haired navigator was dressed in a tight fitting sports top and shorts, carrying her large cloud sword over her shoulder. She was still sweating slightly from her morning exercise. "You're going to enjoy it here."

Both women had to jump as Usopp hopped by, trying to precariously balance both Carue and Chopper on his toad head. Nami glared at them, before turning to smile apologetically at Tashigi. "Even if it is getting a bit crowded now…"

Tashigi glanced around the deck. Luffy was on his favourite seat, concentrating as he practiced channelling lightning. Wiper was cross-legged on the ground making modifications to his bazooka, while Zoro stood nearby polishing his swords. Robin and Aisa were drinking tea together, and Usopp, Carue and Chopper were bustling across the deck. It wasn't a big ship.

"How many rooms are there?" Tashigi asked curiously.

Nami shifted sheepishly. "Five."

Tashigi's eyebrows rose. "And there are… what? Thirteen people on-board? Thirteen people and a giant duck?"

"Ok, so it might be getting a little cramped," Nami conceded reluctantly.

"Well, maybe if you got rid of all this gold…" Zoro interjected loudly.

"_No one is touching my gold!_"

Nami glared at the swordsman and dragged Tashigi away, but his eyes lingered on Tashigi for a moment. Tashigi smiled softly at him, even as Nami pulled her towards the door.

"This is the lounge, kitchen, and helm," Nami explained, motioning around the small room. Like every over part of the ship, it was littered with crates and bags with their plunder from Skypiea. Conis was inside, sitting at the table as she tinkered with her Dials. "It's… um… a bit filthy right now, but it's a nice place to get together. Also, if you flirt with Sanji you get an easy meal."

Nami hesitated as she glanced towards one of the bottom cupboards; the door of which was chained up and secured with a heavy padlock. "Just stay out of there," Nami warned. "That's where we keep the kettle."

Tashigi's mouth dropped open as she looked around the room. She had seen warzones that were more organised. There were bags full of gold bars and gems that were littered across the floor, while crate were stacked precariously in the corners. Everything had just been shoved to one side until the walls were barely visible. Whenever a pile toppled, more items had been stacked on top of the mess. The kitchen side of the room, however, was surprisingly organised.

Tashigi hesitated, trying to think of what to say. "…Oh," Tashigi muttered, as Nami led her outside back on to deck. "Um… who's the quartermaster exactly?"

Nami winced. "We don't really have one."

"Um… Boatswain? First Mate? Who keeps every organised?"

"It's… It's…" Nami shifted uncomfortably, before becoming defensive. "We're still getting around to things, ok? I'm the one who has to keep everyone tidy and I've been busy plotting the route."

Tashigi nodded slowly. "Well, I'm happy to help tidy things up," she offered, hesitantly adjusting her glasses. "And if you're the navigator, you should know that there's the G5 Marine Base nearby here. You might want to adjust the course north-northeast a bit to avoid trouble."

The navigator stopped, turning to stare at Tashigi incredulously. "_Help_ tidy? _Avoid_ trouble?" Nami repeated as if she couldn't believe her ears. Both concepts were completely alien among the others. Slowly, Nami started to grin brightly, wrapping her arm around Tashigi happily. "Oh, I'm so _happy_ we finally got someone like you aboard!"

They laughed, walking side by side as they chattered friendly. Tashigi had been so afraid she would be a stranger on the crew, but they had all welcomed her with open arms. Nami in particular had clung to Tashigi instantly, obviously over the moon at the prospect of finally get a better sparring partner.

The sound of a bird crowing cried over the ocean. Tashigi jumped upwards as she glimpsed a black shape flying towards the ship. "Ah! That's for me!"

Nami frowned, looking at the incoming bird. "A News Coo?" She asked quizzically. "It's too early for the morning newspaper, isn't it?"

Tashigi shut her head, just as a large black raven wearing a hat and carrying a duffel bag of papers dropped onto the deck. "No, this is Alert Raven," Tashigi explained, flashing a badge towards the raven as it dropped a file of papers. "The Marines use them as a private newsletter, and I'm still signed up on their delivery list. I figured it would be good to keep track of Marine movements."

Nami's face brightened up. Around them, the rest of the crew moved to watch Tashigi ruffle through the papers. "So we get inside information…" Nami sighed gleefully. "_For free?_"

She paused, and then the navigator turned to Zoro and elbowed him in the chest. "Well done," Nami praised the swordsman. "You've picked a good one."

Zoro rolled his eyes but didn't reply. He couldn't help feel slightly uncomfortable about how quickly Nami had bonded with Tashigi.

Tashigi grinned as she leafing through the papers curiously. Pre-release bounty posters dropped to the ground as she suddenly saw a name, highlighted in red as a new high-priority target. Tashigi froze, slowly picking out several pieces of paper and letting the others drop.

"Oh," she muttered dumbly, passing the posters to Nami slowly.

Nami's eyes widened. "_Oh_." She flickered through the bounty posters quickly, and looked up towards Tashigi. "_You've_ got one too? So soon?"

"I guess questioning the Admiral's sexuality puts you on the fast-track for death," Tashigi muttered sheepishly.

Nami was still staring at the front poster in shock. The rest of the crew tried to crowd around to see. "But… such an increase!" Nami exclaimed, glancing at Luffy. "What exactly did he do deserve that?"

"He ate a Logia Devil fruit," Tashigi explained simply. "The Marines _really_ don't like any pirate with Logia abilities, so they put out high bounties to try and get rid of them quick. They've also assigned new epithets – I guess they want to make sure everyone sees you as a threat. Pirates get menacing nicknames to cut down any public sympathy and increase awareness."

"What's going on?" Luffy asked eagerly, pushing through Wiper and Usopp to see. "Let me have a look."

Silently, Nami handed the posters to Zoro to pass over. The swordsman grunted as he looked at the top sheet. A new photograph of Monkey D. Luffy was on the front page.

"I guess it _is_ kind of fitting," Zoro said dryly, musing over the new name as he showed the captain. "I mean, what _else_ would you call the guy that killed god?"

* * *

MONKEY D. LUFFY – 'THE DEVIL'

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

350,000,000 BELI

* * *

RORONOA ZORO – 'THE DEMON HUNTER'

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

120,000,000 BELI

* * *

NEFERTARI VIVI – 'DESERT PRINCESS'

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

100,000,000 BELI

* * *

NICO ROBIN – HELL CHILD'

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

90,000,000 BELI

* * *

'RENEGADE' TASHIGI

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

75,000,000 BELI

* * *

'BLACK LEG' SANJI

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

55,000,000 BELI

* * *

'WEATHER WITCH' NAMI

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

30,000,000 BELI

* * *

'MONSTER' USOPP

WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

20,000,000 BELI

* * *

…

_Later…_

"This is brilliant!" Luffy squealed excitedly, holding up the bounty poster. "They've got a new picture and everything!"

The photo at the front of the poster had apparently been taken in Skypiea by one of the Marine scouting parties. It showed Luffy standing in front of a black sky, lightning flashing around him, his body covered in burns and blood as he glared off into the distance. It was slightly blurry and out of focus, but it was still a cool photo.

The Going Merry creaked slowly through sea, while the sound of the Dials hummed in the background. The rest of the crew had retired their rooms, but Luffy and Robin retreated to a quiet corner behind the tangerine trees for some alone time. The whole day was filled with frenzied excitement over the new bounty posters.

Only Robin seemed strangely distant. Her posture was stiff, but she had spent a long time looking through the posters one by one.

Luffy's smile wavered a bit when he saw how distant she was. "Come on," he muttered softly. "It _is_ a bit cool. We're famous now."

"You're _infamous_," she corrected simply. "There's a reason they hand out bounties; it draws attention. The higher your bounty becomes, the stronger the men coming after you will become."

The atmosphere died with Robin's sober tone. Luffy looked at her firmly. "They won't catch me."

She shook her head lightly. "They're not coming after just _you_," she said in a quiet voice. She was composed, but she worried about something. Luffy could sense her worry streaming off her body. Robin motioned to the pile of bounties. "Why do you think they spread the bounties across the crew? It is meaningless to target solely the captain, so instead they attack the pirate ship from all directions. They will target the crew."

Luffy's fists clenched. "I won't let them hurt my friends," he promised firmly.

"I know," Robin whispered so silently it was barely audible. She was disturbed about something. Luffy moved closer to her, before quietly wrapping his arm around her shoulders and sitting next to her affectionately.

"What's wrong, Robin?" He asked quietly, eyes shining with concern. "…You've been… something's been bothering you since Jaya… You don't have to tell me anything, but I just want…"

His voice trailed off. He just wanted to help. Robin gently snuggled into his shoulders, still staring at her new bounty poster. Somehow, she missed her old childhood wanted photo. Everything had been so overwhelming lately that Robin honestly couldn't pick out one reason why. Seeing those new bounty posters just brought all of her dread up to the surface, like a pit of tar rising in her chest.

If she was really honest with herself, then her whole foreboding came down to one simple reason; she was happy now. She was happier with Luffy than she had been in a long time, and Robin just wasn't very good at letting herself be happy.

_Happiness doesn't last very long with me_, Robin thought miserably.

It was a while before she spoke. "The Government is building you up to be a big threat," Robin said quietly. "They know you have a Logia power and they know you have the potential, so they're dishing out the big bounties almost pre-emptively. That means that big names are going to move after you now."

Luffy looked at her with faint surprise, before slowly drawing her in for a reassuring hug. "It doesn't matter," he said simply, squeezing her shoulders softly. "It doesn't matter how strong they are, I'll be stronger. I won't let anyone hurt you."

There was such resolve in his voice that Robin felt her muscles tense. She really, really wanted to believe him, but a lifetime's worth of betrayal and disappointment didn't go away so easily. Instead, Robin just sat perfectly still, enjoying the feel of Luffy's arms around her.

He kissed her lightly on the shoulder, massaging her reassuringly. "Come on. It's not that bad," Luffy said with a smile. "I mean, what's the _worst_ that could happen?"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"_ZEHAHAHAHA_!" The man bellowed furiously, the blood pouring from his body as he staggered upwards. He was wheezing for breath. "_ZEHAHAHAHA_! Oh, you _are_ strong!"

Banaro Island was in ruins. Even as Blackbeard limped forward, the huge banana rocks crashed to the ground around him. Hundreds of tons of stone were still toppling around him, causing the ground to shudder. The power of the Dark Dark fruit had destroyed just about every trace of the town, leaving the island completely barren. The earth was scarred by huge cracks cutting across the island, while the land shifted uncertainly. It was like the whole island was about to collapse.

Everyone who hadn't fled was dead. As dusk slowly fell, the island was consumed by the shadows and explosions. Even Blackbeard's own crew had to take refuge by their raft, in fear of getting caught up in the monstrous duel that pulverized the island.

"Damn," Jesus Burgess muttered with an awed whistle. "That kid is a warrior!"

Next to him, Doc Q coughed out blood as they hesitantly approached the battlefield again. "To be expected," the frail man said darkly. "I mean, he is the _No. 2_…"

Van Augur cocked his rifle as keen eyes surveyed the ground. Only Blackbeard was still standing. "It was not our captain's fate to lose today."

Blackbeard was still laughing furiously as he limped towards the crater in the ground. It had been a terrifyingly close fight. Marshal D. Teach had been caught completely by surprise, and he had only just managed to pull out a victory. His opponent had been incredibly strong, fast and powerful. The Dark Dark fruit hadn't even helped as much as Blackbeard would have liked; after all, its powers were ideal against Devil fruit users, particularly Logia, but his opponent was neither.

A victorious smile flashed across the captain's face as he glared down at his defeated foe. He had won, and he now had everything he needed for his plan. It might have been the blood loss, but Blackbeard was feeling almost euphoric with delight.

"Got to admit, I never expected to meet _you _here," Blackbeard admitted, while the man tried to squirm weakly. "I was planning on capturing some super rookie and handing their head to the Government. I even thought about capturing my old commander, Ace, if he showed up. But _you_… well… I just didn't see that one coming."

A black top hat drifted across the ground like tumbleweed. Blackbeard stomped on the hat as he past, splitting the fabric with an idly footstep. "Still…" Blackbeard continued smugly. "You'll do. The Government will make me a Warlord for sure when I hand them you."

With a grunt, Blackbeard grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck and heaved him off the floor. If looks could kill, the man would have vaporised Blackbeard into ashes as he glared murderously.

The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army was barely able to breathe with his shattered ribcage. His long, black jacket had been torn off, his blue shirt was bloodied, and his frilled cravat was tattered. He could barely see straight through, but somehow Sabo's eyes were defiant to the end. His fingers on both hands were broken and mangled.

Half of his metal pipe was still stabbing out of Blackbeard's back. The other half was lost somewhere in the ruins of the town. Blackbeard just didn't stop laughing as his hands tightened around Sabo's throat and started to squeeze.

Blood swelled in Sabo's throat as he gasped helplessly for air. Sabo had been so excited when he received the order to return to Paradise to supervise his subordinates in Jaya. It had seemed such an easy and relaxing job; parading around as historians to protect the golden bell. Sabo had been so carefree, right up until the moment he had stopped at a bar on Banaro Island and overheard Blackbeard talking about Ace. The more Sabo listened, the angrier he became. For some reason, every word out of Blackbeard's mouth caused his body to tremble and tense in rage.

The fight had started and escalated quickly. Sabo didn't even know why the man's comments had made him so enraged. He couldn't remember. Sabo just knew that he couldn't forgive it.

Sabo's vision began to blur. His mind spun madly as he fell out of consciousness, desperate for oxygen. Weird flashes of confused and forgotten memories sparked across his brain. The last thing Sabo saw before he blacked out was Teach's face; bloated, maniacal and bloodied, his mouth twisted in an insane grin as he laughed.

Strangely, Sabo's last thought was of three brothers, closer than blood, laughing as they shared alcohol together and proclaimed their dreams.

_I'm so sorry_, Sabo thought weakly, just before everything went black.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Quick note about the timescale; at this point the crew is working over a month behind what they were in canon. All the ripples have an effect, and things are going to change more and more.**

**Yeah, I've been looking forward to this chapter for a long time now. This one rounds off Tashigi's storyline, and everything is all set for the upcoming arcs. Thanks so much for all the advice, and from now on, everything is heading straight for Water 7.**

**Edit 23/7/2015:**

**It was revealed in a recent chapter that Sabo actually had amnesia and so couldn't remember anything about his brothers. To keep with canon, I've edited the last bit (last five paragraphs) slightly to reflect this. It doesn't really change my story at all, to be honest; everything else will proceed as intended.**


	27. Chapter 27: Boy Problems

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT I DON'T OWN ONE PIECE!**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Ever since Skypiea, Luffy and Robin have been in a secret relationship, despite Robin's fears that her past is about to catch up with her. The crew are now at sea and sailing towards their next destination. Also, both Nami and Vivi have developed feelings for their captain, and they both agreed to do confront Luffy about them...**_

* * *

**Chapter 27: Boy Problems**

* * *

The hammock creaked slowly as Vivi shifted gently in her half-sleep, but the quarters were warm and cosy and Vivi really, really didn't want to wake up. It was past morning already, yet Vivi was enjoying the peace and quiet of doing absolutely nothing. Everyone else had left, and the only sound in the women's quarters was the rhythmic rocking of the ship gently bouncing over the waves.

Vivi remembered fondly the time when it had only been her and Nami with the whole, well-furnished women's room to themselves, but now she was sharing the single room with Nami, Robin, Conis, Aisa and Tashigi. It was a big room, and she got on well with all of her crewmates, but still the room was beginning to get more cramped and messy with each new inhabitant.

_Still_, Vivi reasoned to herself as she snuggled into her pillow, _at least our room isn't anywhere near as overcrowded or as dirty as the boy's room_. Then again, that was probably an unfair comparison. There were literal pigsties that were less cramped and dirty than the men's quarters.

It was nearly noon by the time Vivi finally summoned the strength to get up. It was so easy to just stay lying there forever, but there was an insistent worry nagging in the back of her mind. There was a matter that needed attention. It was with great regret that she finally staggered upwards, only to sigh as she thought about the task that lay ahead.

_Luffy_, Vivi thought quietly, stepping down from her hammock.

It had seemed so simple when she had been talking about it with Nami. They weren't going to stew about their crush anymore; they were going to actually do something about it. That meant that Luffy had to know. That meant telling him how she felt. And that meant that Vivi was going to have to make a move on Luffy.

Suddenly, the prospect seemed like a gigantic task. Stopping a civil war looked easy by comparison.

The thought made Vivi's face pale. She was actually going to have to _flirt_ with Luffy. She had absolutely no idea how to flirt with anyone, let alone _Luffy_. Her whole knowledge on the subject came either from palace gossip or romantic novels, but actually applying any of those ideas seemed preposterous and borderline illegal.

Curiously, Vivi wondered how Nami would proceed, but the orange-haired woman probably wouldn't have a problem at all. Nami was to sex appeal as Zoro was to swordsmanship. Nami could flirt with a man even as she was robbing him blind and leaving him in a ditch.

The thought of Nami, confident, fearless and stunningly attractive Nami, made Vivi feel queasy. _How could I ever compete with her?_

Still, the whole reason Vivi had come with the pirates was for new experiences, and to live life to the fullest. She had no intention of backing down now and letting her first crush walk away unwittingly.

Vivi opened her chest to get dressed out of her pyjamas, and paused slightly before picking out her usual outfit. Her blue dress; long, frilly and modest, suddenly seemed so inappropriate.

_I guess if I've got to make a move_, Vivi reasoned; _then it couldn't hurt to be a bit more… aggressive_.

She bit her lip in worry, before slowly and carefully picking out a different set of clothes. She kept glimpsing nervously towards the door in worry as she pulled off her nightgown, and selecting a dark orange bikini. A few seconds later, she picked up a long blue, sleeveless fleece, with a neck line so low she felt chilly. Vivi hesitated for a few seconds, before unfastening the buttons on the fleece further, such that her bikini bra was clearly visible.

She spent a few seconds inspecting her cleavage in the mirror. _A bit aggressive_, she figured, as she pulled on a short white skirt. It was short enough to reveal her legs nearly up to the thigh, and Vivi was just thankful that she took time to shave as she inspected her pale white legs, lean but muscled.

Vivi almost lost her courage twice as she walked towards the door. In the end, she just had to take a deep breath as climbed out onto the deck.

There were noises coming from meeting room. It smelt like Sanji was cooking lunch, and a sounded like a ruckus even from outside of the door. Vivi braced herself, not quite sure what she was going to do, but she walked forward anyways.

"Do it again!" Usopp croaked excitedly. It sounded like he was in his toad form.

"Again! Again! Again!" Chopper chanted eagerly. There were sounds of birds chirping.

"Aww, they're so cute!" That was Aisa, gushing innocently from the middle of the ruckus.

"Usopp, I swear to god if you get your toxin over the food, I'm going to cook you," Sanji warned dangerously. "No toad form in the kitchen!"

"Wow, look at how tiny they are!" Chopped laughed excitedly. "How many can you call?"

"I'm not sure," Conis replied hesitantly. Her voice was quiet, meek and nervous. "I don't even know where they come from…"

Vivi opened the door, just as flashing blur of pink whizzed by her. Inside, the majority of the crew was sitting around the table while Sanji cooked, but Usopp, Aisa and Chopper were all excitedly gathered around Conis. The blond Skypiean was surrounded by dozens of tiny hummingbirds chirping and buzzing across the room. Each of the birds was as small as a teacup, delicate and vibrant, and covered in bright pink feathers. Vivi couldn't help but grin at the sight.

Luffy looked just as entranced by the birds as anyone, but he glanced away as he heard the door open. "Oh, hey Vivi," he said in greeting, turning towards her. "Check out these birds that Conis' Devil fruit can–"

His voice cut off as he caught sight of her outfit. The whole room looked at her. Sanji's cigarette dropped out of his open mouth. Vivi had to force herself not to feel self-conscious, even though she more skin than she was comfortable with. She wasn't exceptionally well-endowed, but she still looked damn good in bikini.

"Hey," Vivi said with a smile, judging Luffy's reaction intently. "Something wrong?"

He blinked, and shook his head. "No – new outfit that's all," Luffy said with a smile, before pausing. "You look nice," he added sincerely.

Vivi glanced around the room. Most of them already seemed disinterested. Zoro just shrugged and looked away, while Wiper hadn't even cared enough to look up from his bazooka. Usopp and Chopper were far too distracted by Conis' birds, and Tashigi only gave a fleeting glance. The only person who didn't seem neutral was Nami; who stared at Vivi intently with a knowing frown. The two girls locked eyes for a moment, right up until the moment an excite squeal burst through cabin.

"Princess Vivi!" Sanji squealed eagerly, rushing to her side and chaperoning her to the table excitedly. "Your beauty makes my heart race! Come this way! Come this way! Please sit down here!" With a distracted kick, the chef knocked Usopp straight out of the seat in a single powerful blow. The huge toad rolled the ground with an irritated croak. Vivi just looked uncomfortable as Sanji pulled the chair and dropped to his knee to take her hand. "Please sit, princess," Sanji swooned happily. "I've got a special dessert _just_ for you."

"Um… thank you…?" Vivi mumbled awkwardly as she sat down and Sanji rushed to bring her food. Across the table, Zoro rolled his eyes so hard that his retinas might have detached.

The lunch was a soothingly hectic affair as always. The table wasn't very big, but there were still a dozen people, a giant toad and a duck gathered around. Tashigi sat next to Zoro, much to the obvious irritation of Sanji, while Chopper and Aisa ran around the room, playing cheerfully. Sanji was everywhere; rushing between the kitchen and the table and serving steaming platters of food eagerly. It was their first big meal since setting off from Jaya, and Sanji had obviously planned a celebratory feast. Twice, Sanji had to catch and strangle Usopp's tongue as he tried to steal food off the plates that Sanji designated 'for the ladies'.

Conis was settling in well; she was still timid and meek, but she was more comfortable among bustle of the crew and she was giggling softly at their antics. She spent the meal trying to summon more hummingbirds by the mimicking their call with a soft whistle. The tiny, delicate pink birds buzzed and chirped across the table, until Conis dismissed them back to wherever they came from with a sharp click. She was still a novice, and it would take her several attempts before she succeeded in calling or un-calling any of the birds.

Surprisingly, Usopp managed to out-eat everyone at the table, including Luffy. They had quickly discovered early that in his cane toad form he could devour twice his body weight in food, regardless of whether it was cooked, uncooked, or even technically inedible. Much to Sanji's horror, Usopp had started coming to every meal as a giant toad.

The sight of the toad devouring a whole platter of food (including the plate and cutlery), was fairly horrifying. Sanji looked ready to tear out his hair in frustration. _If Usopp keeps on eating like this_, Vivi mused to herself, _then pretty soon he's going to get fat_.

Luffy just thought it was hilarious. He laughed louder than anyone, causing the air to crackle with electricity. Sitting nearby, Robin had to pull back a bit as her dark hair started to frizzle and curl.

Eventually, Vivi gathered the courage to speak up. She forced a smile as she called across the table to the captain. "Hey Luffy," Vivi asked loudly. "So you're getting pretty good with your new Devil fruit?"

"Yeah," Luffy replied, having to speak up to be heard over the noise. As demonstration, he flicked his hand forward and a small lightning bolt burst safely over the table with a loud crack like a whip. Aisa and Conis jumped in shock, while Sanji threw a ladle at Luffy's head for being reckless. "I'm learning," Luffy admitted. "Control is a bit hard."

Vivi smiled pleasantly. "Do you want to train together sometime?" She asked, carefully keeping any edge out of her voice. "It would be really useful to practice with another Logia?"

A keen eye would have noticed that Nami looked slightly alarmed with the prospect. Luffy just grinned. "Sure," he said cheerfully, before pausing. "Although I promised Zoro that I would try to teach him Haki…"

Zoro scoffed slightly at the statement. So far, Luffy's 'lessons' had consisted of him saying repeatedly 'No, you've got to focus differently' and Zoro becoming increasingly annoyed.

Nami smiled woodenly as she interjected quickly in the conversation, deliberately not looking at Vivi. "Hey, Luffy, you said you would train with me first."

He frowned. "I did?" He asked confusedly.

Nobody else paid much attention to the conversation, but meanwhile Robin was staring fixedly at her plate. _Oh, no…_ She thought with quiet alarm, discretely looking between Vivi and Nami.

"Yes," Nami said decisively. "I need to tune my Clima-Blade to work against Logias, and we were going to spar together."

"Oh," Luffy said with a shrug, still looking mildly perplexed. "Of course I'll help." He frowned. "Do you and Vivi want to train together then?"

Vivi twitched slightly at the suggestion. "_No_," Nami said firmly with a forced smile. "I'd really prefer to spar alone."

He shrugged. "Alright." There was still a small confused furrow in his brow. "We'll do it after lunch, then. Is that ok?"

Nami nodded and leant back in her chair. No one noticed the discreetly venomously look Vivi shot her. The next time Nami took a bite out of her meal, it suddenly seemed to taste very sandy.

The two girls were quiet for the rest of the meal. The conversation slowly turned towards Wiper and the new cannons he was constructing, which became rowdy as Luffy demanded laser beams on them. Even as Conis made the wrong call and accidently summoned a large, extremely irritated owl into the middle of the meal, both Nami and Vivi were very reserved. Even as Usopp started to sweat and Sanji's hands became paralysed from the neurotoxin, they hardly said a word throughout the resulting struggle.

The meal came to an abrupt end as Usopp realised his parotoid glands excreted uncontrollably whenever he was flustered, and then most of the crew had to rush for a change of clothing and to wash the toxin off their skin. Still, as far as crew lunchtimes went, it wasn't anywhere near the worst way that a meal had come to an end.

Afterwards, Nami caught Vivi outside of the cabin when the rest of the crew was distracted. "What the hell was that?" Nami hissed.

Vivi's eyes narrowed. "_What?_"

The orange-haired woman shook her head. "'Oh, Luffy let's _train together_ sometime'!" Nami said an exaggerated high-pitch voice, before glaring at Vivi. "And your _clothes_!"

"Oh please, you were so much worse!" Vivi snapped, before backtracking. "And what's wrong with my clothes?"

"I can see your bra!"

Vivi's eyes widened. "This coming from the girl how's been walking around in a sport's bra for the last two days!" She spat.

"That's for training!" Nami retorted, bristling slightly. Nami quite often wore skimpy clothing, it was normal for her, but Vivi was usually more reserved.

"Sure," Vivi snapped, uncharacteristically catty. "And I'm sure 'sparring' is the only thing you've got mind."

Nami recoiled. She paused, before smiling evilly. "_Fine_." Nami smirked. "If _that's_ the way you want to play it…"

Without warning, Nami suddenly pulled off her shirt and flung it to the ground, revealing a pink floral bra and extremely curvaceous chest. Then, Nami went headed straight down below deck towards the men's quarters.

"_Luffy!_" Nami shouted loudly, stomping down the ladders. "I need to borrow one of your shirts – Usopp got toxin all over mine…"

Vivi's bottom jaw nearly hit the ground.

* * *

The rest of day was a dull, peaceful buzz of activity. At least it was for most of the crew. Vivi spent the day gritting her teeth and causing mini sandstorms of anger as she watched Nami run her hands all over Luffy.

They were training together. Nami was wearing training clothes; a tight, low-cut tank top that didn't even reach her navel, and dark shorts that perfectly revealed her legs. Her long orange hair was fastened upwards in a haphazard bun, and with the sweat dripping down her lean body she looked so good that she nearly sent Sanji into a coma. Nami had her Clima-Blade in hand, cutting and weaving nimbly at Luffy while the captain flashed around the arena in a blaze of sparks.

"Wow Nami," Luffy said cheerfully as easily dodged the cloud blade. Nami slashed furiously and never hit him, but it was good practice for Luffy's Mantra too. "You're getting pretty good."

She smiled sweetly. "I have a good teacher," she replied, and with a flick of her wrist the blade whipped upwards towards Luffy's shoulder.

He grinned. Luffy didn't dodge, but instead he just held out his hand and focused his willpower. In an instant, his hand turned solid black, and the Clima-Blade bounced weakly off the inky black skin. "Yeah, Zoro is a good teacher," Luffy agreed.

"I wasn't talking about Zoro," Nami said quietly, just as she darted in close with her sword. Luffy caught the pommel of the blade and twisted her around easily. Luffy never even wondered why anyone with the reach of the Clima-Blade would have to ever come in close. Nami just gasped and tripped over her feet, but Luffy was there to catch her. For one prolonged moment, Luffy's arms were wrapped around her shoulders as she held her off the ground, his body pressed against hers.

Nami sighed deeply and looked up at him. "I _really_ appreciate you helping me, Luffy," Nami mumbled in a breathy whisper.

In the distance, there was muffled scream of rage followed by the light crackle of a sandstorm.

Luffy just smiled. "No problem," he said happily, pulling Nami to her feet, letting go of her and walking backwards to take up a fighting stance. "Are you ready to try again?"

Nami's eye twitched slightly. "Fine," she said with a forced smile. She paused slightly. "Say, Luffy? Do you remember that move you used against Smoker that one time? With the knives?"

He frowned. "Yeah?"

"Could you show me how you did that one?"

"Umm… Ok," Luffy said with a shrug, mimicking the movement he used back when he wielded dual knives. He pulled back his arms, and exaggeratedly slashed forward in a whirl of imaginary blades. It was a crude movement; he had never been particularly skilled with any weapon but his own fists. "Just pull your arms back… leap forward… and cut in circles…"

"You mean like this?" Nami asked, deliberately copying the same action badly.

He shook his head. "No; try to push forward with your arms…" He explained, repeating the arm action.

Nami walked towards him slowly, hips swinging with every step. "Show me," she asked quietly, pulling her arms upwards in a crude action.

Luffy hesitated but then gingerly held her arm, guiding her through the movement. "More like this…"

"You mean like this?" Nami asked quietly, gently snuggling tighter into his grip.

He guided her arm forward slowly, repeating the action. "… Like that…"

"Oh…" Nami mumbled, carefully keeping his hands on her body as she did the movement slowly. "…_Like this_."

Luffy blinked. Suddenly, he was standing directly behind Nami, her back pressing against his chest, while he had one hand on her arm and the other one on the side of her stomach. He was so close that he could clearly smell the scent of her hair. He honestly had no idea how he had ended up in this position, but Nami seemed to linger in it much longer than necessary. "Um… yeah…" Luffy said awkwardly, a small frown returning. "…That's it…"

"Thanks," Nami muttered meekly, but she didn't move away. "Tell me, have you ever thought about learning how to use a sword?"

"Huh?" Luffy mumbled. The question caught him off-guard. "Er… I've never really thought about it."

"Maybe you should," Nami pressed gently. "You've got a different Devil fruit now; maybe you should learn a different fighting style. It could be really good if you used learned how to channel lightning through a blade."

Luffy scratched his head. "Well…" He muttered doubtfully. "I've never really been any good with any weapon…"

"Oh, I'm sure you could learn," Nami said brightly, twisting around to smile at him. Her make-up was so light you had to look closely to even recognise that she was wearing any. Her lips were soft, pale and kissable. "…And I'd be happy to teach you… We could train together more often…"

Luffy blinked dumbly. "Ok," he said simply, but it seemed like suggestion needed more of a reply. He wasn't quite sure what to say. "I'll think it about it?" He ventured uncertainly.

Again, Luffy was sure he caught a small twitch flicking over Nami's right eye. It was either a small twitch or a mild seizure.

"Great," Nami said in a voice that was almost choked. Her smile was definitely wooden. If Luffy didn't know better, he'd say she was resisting the urge to slap him, but that didn't make sense. Nami _never_ resisted that urge – she exercised it freely. "I look forward to it."

Luffy nodded and dropped back into a fighting stance, readying himself for Nami to make the first move. Nami hesitated slightly, and then suddenly Luffy paused. His body tensed and head tilted, as if he were listening to a sound that no one else could hear.

"Sorry Nami," He said after a few seconds, looking uncomfortable. "Can you give a minute? I need to do something, but I'll be right back."

Yep, there was a definitely a small twitch. Luffy decided to ask Chopper about that; he suspected that he needed a medical opinion. "Sure," Nami had to force the words. "Go right ahead. I'll be _waiting_ right here for you."

"Thanks," Luffy grinned, before walking away quickly towards the back of the ship.

Nami waited a few seconds to make sure he was definitely out of sight. Then, she took a deep breath and made a sound that was part groan and part scream of absolute frustration. Nami had to muffle the sound with her hands all the while her whole body tremored. Then, she picked up her sword and repeatedly slammed the pommel against the mast as she tried to beat the fury out. Around her, Wiper and Usopp gave her confused looks, but Nami didn't care.

In an instant, Nami realised that although she was a world champion at flirting, she had absolutely no experience in sincerely telling a boy that she liked him. She could flirt her way through a pack of bloodthirsty pirates, into a man's wallet, and then out of the bill, but she had never even asked anyone out on a date before – at least, not the kind of date that _didn't_ end with the guy dead drunk on the ground and Nami walking away with all his valuables. Her entire field of expertise was no longer relevant in this situation.

_Ok_, Nami thought with a gulp, _I might have a problem here_…

* * *

Luffy found Vivi at the rear of the ship, half-hidden behind the tangerine trees. She wasn't crying but her posture seemed very stiff.

"Hey Vivi?" Luffy called gently. The princess jumped with the sound of his voice.

Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at him. "Luffy!" Vivi squealed slightly. "What are you doing here?!"

"Er… I was just wondering if you were alright?" He asked gently. There was genuine concern in his eyes that made Vivi's heart ache. He seriously hated it when any of his friends were upset.

"I'm fine!" Vivi replied quickly, unable to keep the slight squeal from her voice. "Just fine! Why do you ask?"

"Well, I could just feel your presence with my Mantra…" Luffy explained confusedly. "And it felt like you were upset about somethi–"

"'Feel my presence'?" Vivi snapped, her voice instantly becoming aggressive. Of all her emotions, it was just easier to release frustration. "You mean were _spying_ on me?!"

"What? No!" Luffy said with growing bewilderment. He had no idea how the conversation turned around so fast. "It's like hearing someone's voice, I can't help but–"

"And how often do you just '_hear my voice_'?" Vivi demanded angrily.

"Well, all the time, but I can't just turn it off–" Luffy protested feebly.

"_Stay out of my head, Luffy!_" Vivi screeched loudly, glaring at him before stomping away. Her shoulders were shaking. She slammed the door behind her as she entered the ship and trudged down into her room.

Luffy remained paralysed for a long time. His mind ground to a halt as he tried and failed to make sense of what just happened. After a couple of minutes, he still didn't understand it and all that came out was a bewildered, "_Huh?!_"

He scratched his head dumbly, before adding the conversation to the list of things to be confused about. That list was getting really long.

* * *

That evening, Sanji cooked a whole trout seasoned with herbs and spices that Luffy couldn't even describe. The crew seemed happy enough, and Luffy tried to apologise to Vivi, for something that he still couldn't explain but experience taught him that it was probably his fault. Strangely, Vivi just blushed heavily and repeatedly told him to 'forget about it', which response that just made Luffy even more confused.

Later during the meal, Luffy tried to strike about a conversation with Nami and Chopper about Nami's twitch, which was followed by Chopper insisting on checking Nami's heartbeat and giving her a diagnosis. Weirdly, both Nami and Vivi were very quiet the whole meal.

Robin just sat in the corner and while watching both girls very discreetly. _Ok_, the older woman thought slowly; _we have a problem here_.

The rest of the meal was normal enough. The conversation slowly turned to Aisa and all the chores that she had do as cabin girl. Aisa stubbornly insisted that all of those chores were Usopp's responsibility, prompting an argument. Everybody then laughed at the sight of the giant toad being repeatedly pummelled by the eight year old.

Later, the conversation turned to Tashigi and Zoro, particularly their sleeping arrangements. Both of them tried desperately to avoid the discussion, but then Sanji made a somewhat crude remark and the swordsman and the chef ended up wrestling with each other. During the ruffle, Carue became flustered and the resulting belch of acid breath vaporised the entire meal. It was fairly normal way for everything to come to an end.

_Alright_, Luffy conceded to himself, _perhaps we do have a fairly strange definition of what is normal_.

It was only as they were all trudging to bed, that Luffy heard the muffled voices of Nami and Vivi, left behind in the meeting room, having an heated argument about something. For a long time the captain debated intervening, before finally deciding against it.

_It probably isn't any of my business_, Luffy thought to himself.

* * *

_The next morning…_

Everybody woke up at different times. Vivi was up early, quietly crunching her way through breakfast with Tashigi, Zoro, Conis, Sanji and Wiper, just when a loud, angry scream burst through the ship. Everyone in the room jumped, just as Nami came barging through the door. She was still wearing her nightgown, and her eyes were bulging with fury.

"_Somebody_…!" Nami screamed to the room, glaring angrily at Vivi as she clutched at her hair. "…_Somebody_ drained all of the _moisture_ out of my _hair!_"

Nami's orange hair, once flowing and soft, was now frayed and dry, so messy and unkempt that it spilled from her hair. There were broken bristles of a brush still trapped it. Nami's hair looked vaguely like it had been replaced by a bird's nest made out of orange straw.

All eyes looked at Nami in shock, before slowly turning towards Vivi. The princess was the picture of innocence as she simply shrugged. "Perhaps you used the wrong conditioner?" Vivi offered sweetly.

There was a pause. Zoro burst out laughing. Nami looked ready to explode. Tashigi jumped up and quickly shuffled the navigator away, reassuringly promising to help her fix it. Vivi just returned to her breakfast as if nothing had happened.

The next time Vivi tried to go for a shower, there was a miniature lightning storm waiting for her.

* * *

"Do you think I should do something?" Luffy asked Zoro after a while, as they both looked down at Nami and Vivi sitting at opposite sides of the deck. The two girls were becoming more and more openly hostile towards each other and Luffy had no idea why. They were both just acting so weird around him.

Zoro shook his head firmly. "Nope, you don't want to get in the middle of it," the swordsman said definitely. "Trust me – this is one fight you don't want to be involved in."

Luffy frowned, still looking between Vivi and Nami curiously. He hated it when his friends were angry at each other; it made the captain physically ache. Normally, when guys were arguing they just screamed, fought and let it all out, but with girls arguing, well, they just became so _mean_.

"Hey, Tashigi?" Luffy asked curiously. The former Marine was standing near to Zoro, wearing a jacket and jeans as she leant against the handrail. "You're really friendly with Nami – do you know what this argument is about?"

Tashigi pursed her lips in hesitation. Both Zoro and Luffy looked at her curiously. Of course the swordswoman had her suspicions, but Luffy was apparently as dumb as a fencepost about some things and Tashigi really didn't want to be the one to open that can of worms.

"It's probably best if you talk to her about it," Tashigi said finally, gently wrapping her arm around Zoro's shoulders. So far, her relationship with Zoro was proving stubborn, argumentative, and infuriating. Still, then Tashigi looked between Luffy and Nami and Vivi and she was instantly thankful for what she had.

Luffy just frowned harder, and rested his head in his hands and started to think. His brain started to hurt with the effort.

* * *

As dusk fell over the empty sea, Vivi was left pacing on deck, struggling against the inner turmoil. It was late, but she had no desire to go to bed. Nami would be in the room, and Vivi really didn't want to have to face the navigator. The problem was that it was easier to be angry with Nami than to be truthful with Luffy, and now Vivi felt like she was going around in circles. By the end of another fruitless day, Vivi was left in absolutely foul mood.

She knew that it should be easy. She knew that all she had to do was talk to Luffy, but the very thought was absolutely terrifying. They were all on the same ship together, and they were all Vivi's best friends.

_What if he doesn't feel the same way I do?_ Vivi thought in quiet dread. Imagining the multitude of ways that it could go wrong was suffocating.

With a flicker of doubt, Vivi looked out over the brilliantly starry sky, reflected in the ocean. Everyone else was asleep. The crowded ship felt strangely deserted. Vivi slowly took a deep breath, before walking carefully towards the kitchen. She found what she was looking for in one of the bottom cupboards, tucked safely at the very back.

_Desperate times, desperate measures_, Vivi thought to herself as she stared at the bottle of sake. Zoro's private stash. Liquid courage. The memory of that night in Alubarna was crystal clear as she poured herself a glass of ale, drinking in the dark.

Vivi was a complete and total lightweight. She was only on her second cup and she was already tipsy as she heard the door open behind her. With a flicker, a torch lit the room up, and the light caused Vivi to wince. Suddenly, a figure dropped into the chair next to her.

Luffy was suddenly there, looking at Vivi with clear concern as she shakily topped up her glass, splattering sake over the counter. The princess was in absolutely no mood to talk. She wasn't drunk enough yet.

"Vivi," Luffy asked gently, placing his hand on her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Getting drunk," Vivi replied simply, raising her glass. "Cheers," she said miserably to the empty room, before trying to down it whole. She ended up coughing and spluttering as the sharp liquid hit her.

Luffy winced, clearly anxious. "Vivi, it's past midnight," he said soothingly. "This isn't like you. Let's just go to bed–"

"No!" Vivi snapped. "I'm done sleeping and I don't want to share! I don't need _help_!" She glared him angrily. Her eyes were red. Her blue hair was a mess. "Right _now_, I just want to get drunk."

Luffy watched slowly as she poured another glass. The captain's hands slowly clenched. There was a long, awkward pause.

"Alright then," Luffy said finally, before standing up and walking to a cupboard. He sat down a second later, placing a glass of his own on the counter.

Vivi glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Getting drunk with you," Luffy replied simply, reaching over for the bottle of sake.

The princess hands trembled. "Luffy, you don't have to do that…" She mumbled.

"Nope, I don't. But I want to." Luffy shrugged as he took a deep gulp of the clear liquid. It burnt. "You're my friend, Vivi; if you want to drink, then let's drink together."

Friend. The word stung. The alcohol was already making her lightheaded and then Vivi sniffed as the tears started to drip down her cheeks. Vivi had to wipe her eyes quickly, trying to keep Luffy from noticing.

"Hey!" Luffy soothed, holding her hand tightly. He gingerly poured another two glasses. "You know that I'm here for you, right? I don't know what's wrong, but just… just know that you never have to face it alone…"

Vivi nodded weakly. The moment stretched out a while longer. For a long time, nobody spoke, and the only sound was the rhythmic sounds of glasses hitting the counter, and more and more sake being poured. Vivi didn't share and Luffy didn't push the issue. There was just a quiet, reassuring silence as they both kept on drinking.

The bottle was nearly empty. Vivi glanced to Luffy curiously. "Zoro is going to kill us for drinking this," she muttered, slurring the words slightly.

Luffy shrugged. "I'm blaming Sanji," he replied simply. He was definitely holding his drink much better than Vivi was.

Despite herself, Vivi chortled with laughter. Luffy's face lit up brightly at the sound. Vivi met his eyes quietly, still wishing she was drunker. The alcohol blurred the fear, but she could still feel it.

After a pause, she had to ask. "Luffy…" Vivi muttered quietly, her voice feeling so frail in the dim of the empty room. "…Am I your friend?"

"Of course you are," Luffy said firmly, without hesitation.

Vivi's stomach churned. "What… what about Nami?" Vivi asked hesitantly. "Is she your friend too?"

"Yes," Luffy replied, frowning slightly. As if there could be any suggestion otherwise.

"So then… then…" Vivi's heart pounded as she formed the question. ".. so then which one of us is _your_ better friend?"

Luffy blinked at the question. The very thought seemed utterly incomprehensible. "Huh?!" Luffy exclaimed. "Vivi… I can't… I mean… You're Vivi and she's Nami. How could I possibly try and compare you? I just… well, I _need_ you both."

Vivi didn't reply. She just sat perfectly still, listening to him intently. Luffy looked agitated with the whole conversation. "Vivi…" Luffy continued hesitantly, before clearing his throat. "My friends are precious to me. My friends are the only things in the world that I couldn't live without. You and Nami… well… you're both absolutely priceless."

She didn't even twitch, but her heart was pounding furiously. Luffy gingerly took her hand, squeezing it lightly. "What's wrong, Vivi?" Luffy asked quietly, eyes bright and worried. "What's this argument between you and Nami? You don't have to involve me, I just… I just want to be there for you…"

Slowly, Vivi cleared her throat, staring at Luffy deeply. The empty room was dark, tense and expectant. "Really?" Vivi murmured.

"Yes," Luffy promised, shifting closer to her. "I'll always be there for you."

The princess' heart was pounding. Her head was spinning. It took a long time for her to form the words. "Luffy…" She muttered quietly. "…Do you remember that night in Aluburna? After the party?"

His eyes widened. The memory of the drunken kiss was still crystal clear. "Yeah, I remember," Luffy nodded, with a small smile. "I wasn't sure that you did."

Vivi's body tensed. "Why did you never talk to me about it?" She asked finally.

Luffy hesitated. "I don't know," Luffy admitted after a while. "…I guess I just never knew what to say? There was never the right time; it always felt so awkward…"

She nodded, carefully moving around in her chair to face him. They were sitting very close together. Vivi's long blue hair spilled across the counter. Her body was shaking. Luffy never let go off her hand.

"Did you…" Vivi murmured so gently it might have been a whisper, as she gradually leant inwards. "…Did you enjoy it…?"

The smell of sake was overpowering. The room was tense, and Luffy's tongue suddenly felt so heavy. The memory of that night was sharper than it had ever been. "Well… yeah, I did," Luffy nodded, as Vivi slowly inched closer. "I guess I just didn't really know how to react. I mean, you were really drunk at the time…"

Everything stopped. Through Vivi's hazy mind, she slowly managed to focus on the empty bottle of sake lying on the counter. A flash of guilt struck her.

"Yeah," Vivi murmured, slowly pulling away. "I guess I _was_ really drunk."

Vivi felt like crying. She felt like collapsing on to the ground. She felt like screaming furiously. And all the while, Luffy just kept on holding her hand reassuringly. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to kiss him so, so badly, but the part of her brain that was still thinking clearly refused.

_The next time this moment happens_, Vivi thought slowly as she rubbed her sore eyes_; I want to be sober for it._

Luffy looked at her, expectant. Vivi gulped, before nodding. "Alright Luffy," Vivi murmured. "I think I better go to bed now…"

Stumbling, Vivi tried to stand up and nearly tripped. Luffy was there to catch her, gently holding her shoulders as they walked to the door. Vivi's legs stopped working at some point, but then Luffy held her upwards, lifting her off the ground and carrying her across the ship. Vivi could have quite easily have fallen asleep in his arms. At that moment, she had never been so comfortable.

Luffy slowly walked down the stairs, all the while holding Vivi reassuringly. He could feel her body breathing up and down rhythmically as she slipped into unconsciousness. It was very late and everyone else was asleep as he awkwardly pushed open the door to the women's quarters and stumbled into the room.

It took him a few clumsy minutes to find Vivi's bed, all the while surrounded by the lightly snoring bodies of his female crew. Eventually, Luffy pulled out Vivi's hammock and gently dropped her body into it.

"Good night, Vivi," he whispered softly under his breath, pausing to pull the blankets up around her. She moaned softly in response. Even as Luffy let go, her arms seemed unwilling to unwrap from around his shoulders.

Luffy stood back and paused, sighing to himself as he looked at her sleeping body, curled up like a baby and already snoring. He hesitated before leaving, instead turning around and ensuring that Vivi was properly tucked in bed and comfortable. Luffy closed the door very, very quietly as he crept away.

He didn't notice Nami lying in bed, eyes wide open, as she watched soundlessly.

* * *

_I need help_, Luffy thought firmly as he closed the door behind him. He simply wasn't smart enough to solve any problem involving girls, but at least he had finally learned to recognise that. There was only one person he could ever turn to, and he was too wide awake to go sleep.

Fortunately, Robin was awake as well. The archaeologist quite often kept strange sleeping hours, and she was currently at the back of the ship, reading a book by candlelight underneath the night sky. Luffy sensed her presence and quickly walked up to her. They kissed briefly, before snuggling down onto the single chair as a comfortable hush settled over the deck.

Slowly, Luffy began to explain what had happened with Vivi and their late night drinking session. Then, he explained everything that was going on between the girls. He wondered briefly if Robin would be upset when he told her about the drunken kiss he shared with Vivi all those months ago, but if anything the dark-haired woman just seemed mildly amused with the revelation.

"What can I do then?" Luffy asked finally, wrapping his arm around her waist and resting his hand on her hips. "I really don't like it when Vivi and Nami are arguing; it makes everything… _weird_."

Robin paused, resting her head on his shoulder. "I don't think there's anything you can do," Robin said finally. "Maybe they've just got to work this out amongst themselves."

"But why are they arguing?" Luffy pressed, frowning with confusion.

Robin smiled softly. The captain was so adorably clueless sometimes. "Maybe that's something they've got to share with you as well," she said gently.

Luffy seemed irritated by the answer, but he didn't push it. It took a few seconds for him to speak again. "Vivi asked about the kiss earlier," he said eventually. "Did I do something wrong when I never talked to her about it?"

Robin hesitated, wondering how to reply. "I wouldn't say _wrong_…" She paused. "I think that both of you just didn't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

She lightly kissed his sternum. "It was Vivi's first kiss," Robin explained quietly. "A girl's first kiss is important. It's… _special_."

Luffy didn't reply, but he looked confused. Robin slowly straightened up. "It doesn't matter if a girl has a thousand kisses or a dozen. It's the first one, well, that's unforgettable," she said softly, a light edge in her voice. "The first one is always the one you use to compare to every kiss that comes later."

"Oh." Luffy frowned. "I'm sorry that I took that from her."

"Don't be," Robin said with a smirk. "I don't think she's sorry at all."

He scratched his head. "Huh," he muttered, deep in thought, before he realised something. "She was my first kiss too, then."

Robin pushed her long hair backwards, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Not the last, though," she murmured.

Luffy grinned, pulling himself up off the chair and pressing his lips to hers. Every kiss still took his breath away. It was soft, tender and slow, but it still left him breathless as they gently parted.

He breathed in deeply, relishing in her taste as he stared into Robin's eyes. He stroked the nape of her neck. "So what can I do then?" Luffy asked quietly.

There was a flicker in Robin's eyes. "Just let them sort it out. I think they've got to settle their own feelings before you can help," Robin explained quietly.

Robin paused, and just for a second she looked doubtful. The thought of two girls, each younger and more appropriate for Luffy, were at the forefront of Robin's brain. "You know that I meant what I said that first morning?" Robin said carefully. "There are no commitments on you with _our_ relationship."

He frowned again. "What does that mean?"

"Just…" She hesitated, before finally forming the right words. "You don't have to force anything you aren't feeling with me."

Luffy's brain had to grind through that statement slowly. "You know how I feel about you, Robin," he said carefully. "I want to be with you forever."

Robin smiled, but it was her old smile. It was the smile used to hide how she was really feeling. "Forever is a long time, Luffy," Robin said gently. "I'm eleven years older than you and you're only seventeen. I just want you to know that I have absolutely no expectations on how this should end."

That wasn't true. Robin actually had a lot of expectations, but none of them were pleasant. Luffy hesitated for a long time; he might not be the smartest person but he could still be very perceptive when it came to his friends. He could feel that same doubt from Robin that he always felt when she let her guard down; it was like she was just waiting for things to go wrong.

"I'll always be there for you, Robin," he promised quietly, stroking her cheek affectionately. "I'll never, ever hurt you."

Robin almost replied, but she didn't. Instead, she just kissed him passionately, because it was easier that way. The words that she very nearly spoke still lingered in her mind anyways.

_I'm not worried about _you_ hurting _me, Robin thought sadly.

They kissed for a bit longer. Robin felt herself relax into Luffy's arms as the ship rocked around them. After a few minutes, Luffy finally spoke.

"So then… first kisses…" he muttered curiously. "What was your first like?"

Robin stiffened slightly at the memory. She could still clearly remember that time when she had been much younger, hiding out in a quiet fishing town, and the young sailor that passed through. He had been handsome, charming, and funny; right up until the moment he had revealed himself to be an undercover government assassin. He had seduced her for information, slept with her, and then tried to kill her.

Luffy must have sensed her hesitation. "You don't have tell me–"

"No," Robin said quietly, smiling slightly woodenly. "It's fine. My _first_ was when I was eighteen, and I was hiding out in a small town in the West Blue. He passing through, we met and really hit it off."

Robin wrapped her arms around Luffy tightly, thinking about the full story – the one that she would never tell. It had been a relationship that had taught to be constantly on guard. "It was just a brief relationship, it never lasted," she explained with a shrug. "He was just a sailor called Rob Lucci."

* * *

_I really like you Luffy_, Nami thought quietly to herself. There it was; just five words. All she had to say was those five words and she could finally settle it.

"I really like you Luffy," Nami whispered inaudibly under her breath, testing the way each word felt. Her heart was beating furiously at the very thought.

She was still lying in her bed, surrounded by sleeping women, but she couldn't even close her eyes. The only thought in her head was of Luffy and all the things she wanted to say to him.

_I really like you Luffy. I want us to be together. I want to kiss you._ There was absolutely nothing else but her and her imagination, dreaming of everything to say. Everything that she had wanted to say for so long was just bubbling up inside of her. _I really like you Luffy. I love you Luffy. Kiss me, Luffy_…

Nami couldn't hold it in. Her resolve was so brittle it threatened to snap at any moment, but she still stood up slowly and crept soundlessly to the door. It was already well past midnight, but Nami didn't care. She couldn't do it when anyone else was around and she couldn't wait a whole day to get him alone. She hadn't heard Luffy go back to his room, so he must still be up on deck. Nami just needed to say those words to him.

Her heart pounded like a drum as she walked up the stairs. "I really like you Luffy," Nami whispered again, making sure that she wouldn't stutter as she tested the words. "I really like you Luffy…"

The cool air made her shiver as she came out onto the deck. She was still wearing her nightgown, but Nami was terrified that her courage might collapse if she went back for a jacket. Instead, she had to push on, looking for any sign of the captain.

"I really like you Luffy…" She whispered to herself, before glimpsing a flicker of candlelight at the back of the ship, near her tangerines. Luffy.

Nami's heart nearly jumped. She had to do this now. Her heart was spinning as charged towards the rear of the deck, finally saying the words out loud. She only just processed the sight of her captain before her mouth worked on autopilot.

"I really lik–!" Nami started loudly, before coming to a complete halt as her eyes finally processed the scene in front of her.

Luffy was there, but he wasn't alone.

Robin, tall, beautiful Robin, was draped off his neck as her long legs wrapped around his torso, his head buried into her lips.

* * *

The world froze.

_I will not flinch, and I will not let go of him_, Robin thought quietly, deliberately not reacting as she saw Nami turn the corner. _Both of those reactions would imply that I am guilty, and I have absolutely nothing to be guilty about_.

That said, Robin couldn't stop the feeling of dread from sinking into her stomach as she saw Nami's pale face and wide eyes.

The navigator didn't exclaim or shout out. Instead, her voice just jammed in her throat, leaving her speechless as both Robin and Luffy broke from their embrace to turn and stare at her.

Luffy did jump in surprise at the appearance of Nami, but he didn't let go of Robin either. Instead he just looked at the navigator, feeling an embarrassed blush rise up his cheeks. There was a tense, wordless moment as both parties soaked in the surprise.

"Oh," Luffy said dumbly, splitting the air with the simply statement. He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Nami, we never knew you were there. What's up?"

At that moment, Robin felt her heart break for Nami. _I will not be guilty_, Robin thought silently, but it was no good.

Nami never moved. Luffy's smile widened apologetically. "Umm… yeah…" He muttered awkwardly, glancing between her and Robin. The archaeologist didn't dare speak. "Sorry, we should have told you, but we wanted to keep it quiet. Err… Sorry…?"

She didn't even twitch. Her eyes were bulging, but slowly Nami's breathing became slow, deep and wheezy. Luffy frowned. "Nami?" He asked worriedly. "Are you alright?"

Luffy expected some anger, or an exasperated sigh. He expected that Nami would punch him, or possibly just roll her eyes with some derogatory statement. He even expected that Nami might scream shrilly. Those were all the normal Nami reactions.

Instead, Luffy suddenly realised that there were tears pouring down her cheeks as she struggled to breathe properly. Her whole body started to tremble. Luffy's heart stopped at the sight of her tears.

_I would prefer her to punch me_, Luffy thought in shock.

"Nami?" He asked more urgently as he approached her. "What's wron–"

"No!" She screeched suddenly, stopping him dead as he tried to approach. She backed away from slowly, bumping into the wall of ship. Tears just kept on pouring down her cheeks. "_No!_"

Her eyes were wild, hurt and angry, and wet with tears. It was a sight that made Luffy's whole body tense. He was left speechless as he recognised the pain in her voice.

It physically hurt him to see her cry.

Nami glared at him through red eyes. She looked like she wanted to say something, but all that came out was a shrill cry between muffled sobs. After a few seconds, Nami turned and ran away, still weeping uncontrollably into her hands.

Luffy's mouth hung open stupidly. Robin's body tensed. The sound of Nami's sobs lingered in the air.

"What happened?" Luffy demanded loudly, turning to Robin. "Why was Nami so upset?!"

Robin winced. "Luffy, it's complicated–" She replied lamely.

"_What happened?!_" His whole body was shaking. He really, really couldn't stand to see his friend cry in hurt. The thought that he caused it somehow was unbearable. Robin bit her lip, trying to think of something to say. _I shouldn't have let it get this far_, Robin cursed herself mentally.

When she didn't answer, Luffy turned around and started walking after Nami. "I've got to go to her," he said firmly.

"No, Luffy don't!" Robin grabbed a hold of his shoulder to stop him. He looked at her confusedly. "Please, Luffy, it won't work. Let her have some time to herself for a while."

He hesitated. Every instinct in his body wanted to go to Nami and comfort her. "Please, Luffy, trust me," Robin insisted in a quiet voice. "Let her have some private time for a while."

She could see the debate raging across Luffy's face. Eventually, trust in his friends won out. "Fine," Luffy conceded unwillingly. "But why was she so upset to see us kissing?"

"She –" Robin paused. "She won't appreciate it if I tell her secret for her," Robin finished. "Nami is going to have to talk to you herself."

Luffy growled with the reply, pacing the deck unhappily. Robin hung by his side for a while, before heading down into the bathroom to wash her face in the sink. As the cool water hit her, she sighed as she felt the tension roll over her shoulders.

_I knew this would happen eventually_, Robin thought miserably. _I was just too busy trying to ignore it with my head in the sand._

_My secret little relationship with Luffy was never going to last_, she thought. _It had been fun, but it would never have ever worked out. I should have just made the preparations sooner._

The thought of Nami's crying face flashed in front of her eyes. _It's probably for the best that this happened now, before I could delude myself for much longer. It has to end, eventually_.

She hesitated for nearly an hour before she finally reached a decision. Steeling herself, Robin slowly left the bathroom and crept through the ship. It was still dark, and everyone else was still asleep. With the use of her powers, it didn't take long for Robin to find out where Nami was hiding.

The navigator was crouched in the storage room, nestled between the crates, and sobbing quietly into her hands. Robin approached very gently. In the silence, every footstep felt like an orchestra on the creaky wooden floor.

"Hey," Robin said quietly. "Do you want to talk to me? Or should I leave?"

Nami sniffled, and glared at her. For half a second, Robin thought the navigator was going to scream at her to leave. Then, in a wheezy snarl, Nami growled, "_How long?_"

"Since Skypiea," Robin admitted simply.

She could see Nami's whole body tense and tremor with the statement. "Well then," Nami spat bitterly. "I hope you're so _happy_ together."

Robin nodded and gently leant down next to her. There was a tense quiet. Robin gulped, forcefully keeping her composure. "I shouldn't have done it," she said quietly. "I didn't plan on starting a relationship, but it just… happened. It was just one reckless night that stretched into something more."

Nami was still crying, but she wasn't sobbing anymore to listen intently to everything Robin was saying. Her eyes were red, hurt and accusatory. Robin sighed, before changing her approach.

"You should know that Luffy values friendship over sex," Robin said simply, keeping her voice level. "He enjoys the sex plenty, but he thinks of his friends are infinitely more precious."

Nami's hands tightened and grasped onto a corners of the crates in growing anger. Robin just continued in the exact some tone.

"And he will never, ever _choose_ between two of his friends," she said quietly, not meeting Nami's eyes. "As far as he's concerned, he would much rather choose which one of his arms to cut off before he would choose which of his friends to lose."

Another pause. Robin had to pick her words very carefully. "If you can't accept our relationship, then Luffy will end it," Robin said simply. "I know he will; he'll say that the sex is not worth losing you as a friend, and he'll stop it. He'll do absolutely anything to keep you in his life."

"Good!" Nami snapped furiously, her cheeks still wet with tears.

Robin quite deliberately didn't respond angrily. Her voice was as calm, as composed as ever. "He'll try to keep _all_ of his friends happy," she continued. "If we can't come to an arrangement together, then we might both lose."

The pause stretched out even longer. It took everything Robin had to force the next words out. "…or, alternatively…" she said slowly. "…we could _both_ win."

It took a long time for the meaning of that statement to sink in. Nami slowly pulled her head out of her hands to stare at Robin with utter incredulous disbelief. Robin could see the gears grinding as she dissected the unspoken meaning. Nami's mouth dropped open.

"Are you…" Nami muttered slowly. "… are you seriously suggesting…?"

"Just think about it," Robin said coolly, before standing up and walking away, leaving Nami staring dumbly around the room.

It would have taken a very keen eye to recognise the emotions streaming through Robin's own posture. _This is for the best_, Robin thought in quiet resignation. _The least I can do is ensure that Nami and Luffy are happy together._

_At least this way, when I have to leave_, Robin thought to herself; _then Luffy is already going to have another, healthier relationship._

_At least this way Luffy won't miss me when I'm gone._

* * *

**OMAKE:**

* * *

The Legacy of the Gum Gum Fruit

(Occurred 4 days before the start of this chapter)

* * *

"Ok, I've got an idea," Usopp said suddenly, as the crew lounged out on deck.

"Wow, somebody call a reporter," Nami said dryly, not even glancing at the sniper. "Front page news, right there."

Usopp shot her a dirty glance, but then continued nevertheless. "Ok, this is my idea," he said slowly. "Does anyone here think that Luffy has been different recently? He's been more focused, a bit less silly?"

"You do remember that time just the other day when he tried to use Carue's acid breath to cook his meat quicker, right?" Vivi asked sceptically.

"I said a _bit_ less silly," Usopp conceded.

"I suppose Usopp's right," Sanji mused, taking a deep breath of cigarette. "Ever since Alabasta, Luffy hasn't been as immature. He has become more focused, I guess. It's not surprising, really, considering that he actually _died_ against Crocodile."

"Exactly!" Usopp beamed brightly. "But what if that's not _just_ him being more focused? He _also_ lost his Gum Gum fruit in Alabasta. You know how the brain essentially uses electrical signals to think, right?"

Nami stared at him, incredulously. "You can't possibly think…" She muttered disbelievingly.

"I'm saying that previously his brain was made out of rubber! What if that was also interfering with how he thought? Maybe the Gum Gum fruit was actually making him stupid!" Usopp said triumphantly. "And it's only after he lost it that he started to become smarter!"

"That's the stupidest theory I've ever heard," Zoro said after a moment's thought. "…And that's _including_ Luffy's theory that it was possible to fly by electrocuting the ocean."

"Hey, it's not that bad!" Usopp pleaded, before turning to Chopper. "Medical opinion here, doc?"

The reindeer shrugged. "I don't know… maybe… I guess?"

"Wait, if Usopp's right…" Vivi muttered slowly. "Then Luffy has now eaten the Rumble Rumble fruit. What if _that_ fruit can improve the electrical signals, making him super smart?"

There was a pause. All of them turned to stare across the ship to where Luffy was playing with Aisa. The captain was currently twisting and rolling on the floor, pretending to be a giant snake chasing after the little girl.

"Ok," Vivi conceded. "Maybe not _super_ smart."

Nami stood up determinedly. "That's it! We need to test this right now!" She said determinedly, before charging off below deck.

Nami was back a second later, carrying a large box over to the group. Zoro glanced at the title on the box curiously. "'_Dr Stein's Mastermind I.Q. Test_'?" He read off the box, before looking doubtfully up at the navigator. "You seriously keep an I.Q. test in your cabin?"

"Sometimes I like to prove that I'm still the smartest person on this boat," Nami admitted with a shrug, before shouting over to the captain. "Hey, Luffy! Come over here! I've got a game that I want you to play."

Luffy approached curiously. Nami and Luffy retreated into the meeting room, where she carefully unpacked the box. Usopp looked through the porthole curiously, just as Nami placed a selection of misshaped pieces on the table and brought out an egg timer. Luffy cleaned his ear as he watched her dumbly.

"Ok Luffy," the navigator explained. "First test; I want you to build a cube out of the pieces as fast as possible…"

An hour later, a loud shriek split through the ship. The whole crew turned as Nami exited, pale-faced, from the meeting room. She was shivering and looked seriously disturbed. Meanwhile, in the background, Luffy was laughing furiously.

"Nami?!" Sanji asked urgently. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Nami gulped. "It's Luffy… it's impossible…" Her hands were shaking. "… He… He has an I.Q. of _217_!"

There was a speechless pause, followed by a loud gasp and a dozen voices exclaiming, "_WHAT?!_"

Luffy strolled smugly out of the room, laughing triumphantly. "Bow down before me, dumb-dumbs!" He shouted cheerfully. "Me equals genius!"

"That's impossible," Sanji muttered, his cigarette dropping out of his mouth. "I don't believe it."

"I'm pretty sure that Luffy being smart is the first sign of the apocalypse," Zoro murmured quietly.

"This can't be right…" Usopp croaked. "There must be a mistake!"

"I double-checked the result…" Nami said with a fearful shiver. "Four times…"

"Believe it, dumb-dumbs," Luffy said smugly, clearly enjoying himself as he lorded over the rest of the crew. "I'm just too _smart_ for you."

"That's it, Nami, prepare the test again!" Sanji said determinedly as both he and Zoro dragged Luffy back to the table. "I refuse to accept that _this_ idiot is a genius!"

"Fine," Nami nodded, preparing a new set of I.Q. tests from the box while the rest of the crew crowded around the table, glaring suspiciously at Luffy. The captain seemed totally at ease while Nami handed out a new puzzle. "Luffy, you've got to highlight as many differences between these two pictures as you can."

"_Easy_," Luffy said confidently, picking up the pen and quickly circling the errors. One by one, the crew members' jaws dropped open in utter speechlessness.

At one point, after Luffy solved a complex 3D model in seconds, Sanji had to go lie down because the world was clearly going insane. Everybody looked mildly terrified as Luffy continued to score highly on test after test.

Nobody noticed the eye on the ceiling looking down at the puzzle, or the pair of hands sprouting from floor as they discreetly passed the answers to Luffy.

Outside, on deck, Robin smirked quietly as she pretended to read her book.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Over a 1000 reviews! A 1000 favourites! Thank you so much guys, seriously, you have no idea how giddy that makes me.**

**Also, special thanks to DhanaRagnarok for creating a TV Tropes page for Nine Minutes! Check it out, the link is on my profile.**

**I really enjoyed this chapter, I tried to get the relationships right. I've been building up to it for a while, please tell me how I did.**

**I wanted to do that omake for a long time too, it was based on a review I got really early in the story. It just took me a long time to reach a point where I could actually put it in. **

**Next chapter: The romance on the boat gets a bit more... _complicated..._**


	28. Chapter 28: Girlfriends

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Yeah, well, you don't own One Piece either! **

**Warning: Lemons.**

* * *

**Previously:**

**_Love! Romance!_ Drama_!_**

* * *

**Chapter 28: Girlfriends**

* * *

Habit was a hard thing to shake. Tashigi knew that the pirates were only slightly more organised than a kindergarten, but she had been conditioned for discipline and order after years of being a marine. She still expected drills, locker checks and a whole routine of protocols every morning. A Marine ship worked like clockwork; every officer had such a constant monotonous schedule that it was drilled into their body.

On the pirate ship, on the other hand, well, as far as Tashigi could tell there were literally absolutely no rules on-board. Each crew member could just sleep in as long as they liked, eat whenever they were hungry, and basically just do whatever they wanted the rest of the day. Sometimes, Tashigi couldn't believe that the ship was still afloat.

Nevertheless, Tashigi still found herself waking up before dawn every morning, at six o clock on the dot even without an alarm clock. The routine was just too well-established for her body to break.

It was still dark as she clambered out of her hammock, squinting in the very faint light of the cabin. The women's quarters were filled with sleeping bodies, yet Nami's bunk was empty and apparently Robin had gone to bed very late last night. Still, that wasn't particularly unusual. Tashigi knew that she wouldn't be able sleep in, and were body was still twitching in preparation for her phantom morning schedule, so she figured that she might as well make herself useful.

Quietly, Tashigi pulled on her jacket and boots, crept outside onto deck, and sighed silently as the fresh, salty air stung her eyes. This early, the ship was completely deserted and Tashigi paused, thinking about everything that had to be done on a Marine ship each morning. With a shrug, Tashigi proceeded to check the heading, inspect the cannons, and then suddenly she was falling into such a familiar rhythm that she ended up sorting out the mess in the meeting room, scouring the grime off the walls, and then mopping the deck with practiced efficiency.

Even as the sun started to rise, she was still working. Somehow, it just made her feel better to have something to do. She was working just hard enough to build up a comfortable sweat, and the exercise felt good to wake her up properly.

It was well past nine before everyone else started to wake up. Sanji was one of the first awake; the chef paused for a morning cigarette outside on deck, before heading into the kitchen to work on breakfast. Fairly soon, the aroma of cooking bacon woke everyone else up faster than an alarm bell.

Tashigi could hear the room filling up with frantic, hungry activity, but she hated leaving a task half-finished. She finished off mopping the deck completely clean, before clutching the mop tightly and walking into the meeting room.

The memories of her old Marine routine were crystal clear. _Well_, Tashigi decided as she pushed the door open, _I might as well _try_ to bring some order onto the ship_.

It felt so reassuringly familiar as Tashigi fell into a familiar march towards Luffy. Instinctively, her boots knocked together, she clutched the mop over shoulder like rifle, and saluted smartly at the captain.

"Sir!" Tashigi announced smoothly. "The heading is on course, wind is fair, cannons are operational, inventory has been taken, and the deck has been cleaned, sir!"

At once, the room went quiet. All eyes focused on Tashigi, still saluting Luffy formally. The captain blinked repeatedly, seemingly lost for words.

"…Ummm…" Luffy mumbled hesitantly, scratching his head confusedly. "… Uh… thanks?"

Tashigi's face twitched. Behind her, Zoro started laughing. The former marine's shoulders drooped as she dropped the salute. "It's called _discipline_, people…!" Tashigi mumbled under her breath irritably, dropping down into a chair. She actually looked a bit disappointed. "…Honestly…"

The room broke into friendly laughter and bickering. Vivi rubbed Tashigi's shoulder reassuringly while Zoro passed her breakfast across. Chopper and Aisa started giggling as they took turns to salute each other playfully, and Tashigi couldn't help but grin as she felt the comfort of it all break over the group.

The only person who didn't seem comfortable, strangely, was Luffy. The captain barely touched his food, but he was constantly alert and twitching. The last crew member to arrive was Nami, who quietly crept in as the meal was nearly over. Luffy's eyes instantly widened in surprise, relief and concern as she opened the door, and it looked like he had to resist the urge to run towards her. Otherwise, no one else paid her any particular attention, except for Tashigi, who noted quietly how hesitant Nami behaved as she sat down, and that her eyes were red as if she had been crying.

There was some unspoken tension at the meal between them, but Tashigi decided not to press it. Everyone else was too distracted as Usopp started to tease Tashigi and Zoro over their relationship, causing Tashigi to blush and Zoro to become uncharacteristically reserved. Pretty soon, Chopper, Aisa and even Conis began teasing the couple gently, causing Zoro to become more and more uncomfortable and awkward.

Sanji still grumbled loudly every time he even saw Tashigi and Zoro standing too close to each other; apparently the chef found the concept that any woman could be remotely interested in the marimo to be vaguely insulting.

No one really noticed that neither Nami, Luffy, nor Robin said a word for the entire meal.

Afterwards, as everyone else was clearing away, Tashigi noticed Luffy rush towards Nami and quietly ask her a question, his eyes bright with concern. Nami blushed, mumbled something, nodded and quickly walked away. Luffy didn't look reassured, but for the rest of the day Nami deliberately kept her distance from the captain.

Tashigi quietly made a note of it, and then deliberately kept silent. She figured that they needed their space.

* * *

_I'm crazy_, Nami thought finally. _Yep, everything about this is crazy_.

Nami spent most of the day pacing around the ship. For the majority of the morning, Nami was with Conis, discussing Dials, potential modifications to the ship, different Dial weapons, and then even sparring with the Dial mechanic. Then Nami intruded on Wiper as he was building the new cannons, right up until the moment when the Raider finally told her to scram. Nami later sat next to Usopp and Chopper as the doctor tried to brew Rumble balls that would work with Usopp's Toad Toad fruit. Nami even went to Aisa to talk about Mantra, but then she had to leave as Luffy and Zoro approached to continue to train Zoro's own underdeveloped Haki.

In short, Nami did absolutely everything possible to stay busy without having to think. She couldn't even sketch out maps by herself without starting to think about the whole situation.

Luffy and Robin. The whole thought that the two of them were together was mind-blowing. She was mature, beautiful, impossibly composed and intelligent, and he was… well… _Luffy_.

And to make matters worse, Nami's heart still skipped a beat whenever Luffy tried to ask if she was alright. She could see the concern clear on his face every time he approached her, and he instinctively knew she was lying every time she mumbled some excuse, he just never understood why. There was genuine pain in his eyes every time Nami avoided him, which just made it even harder for her to look at him.

_It actually, physically hurts Luffy whenever I'm upset_, Nami realised slowly; _he really cares about me _that_ much._

The thought made her knees go weak.

She loved Luffy. She loved how moronic he could be, she loved that mindless way he would clean his ear in public, and she really, really loved how he just always… _cared_ for her. He was her best friend, but Nami just wanted more…

And every time Nami started to think like that, she remembered the _offer_ that Robin had made to her the night before. It was an offer that she, well, she was trying very hard not to think about it.

_I've gone crazy_, she thought firmly.

The thought of Luffy holding her like he had been holding Robin last night was intoxicatingly insane.

_Goddammit I've gone crazy_, Nami thought firmly, slapping her forehead repeatedly to knock out the daydreams.

And then, during the height of Nami's insanity, she would think about Vivi as well, and the way that the princess felt about Luffy. That was the level of crazy where Nami couldn't even trust her own head.

She couldn't concentrate on anything else all day. It was evening by the time Nami felt so mentally exhausted that her mind was a mess. The Going Merry wasn't a big boat, but somehow she had managed to avoid Luffy for almost a whole day

_And now I've just got to avoid him tomorrow too, and the day after that, and then the day after that_, Nami thought with utter dread. She had no idea how long it would be until their next island. It could be weeks.

_How much longer can I survive trapped on a boat with the man I love and the two other women that love him just as much?_

It was at that point that whatever resolve Nami had dissolved. As Sanji cooked the evening meal, Nami slowly headed towards the rear of the boat, where Robin lounged on a chair, quietly reading a book in the fading light.

For the first time, Nami saw the dark-haired archaeologist in a way she had never seen before. Robin had always been beautiful, but now Nami felt a ping of jealously as she looked at the women. Robin was wearing a revealing tank top exposing plentiful cleavage and shorts that clearly showed off long, lean and gorgeous legs, but somehow she wore it with an air of maturity that just seemed so… natural. Nami and Robin had been friendly, Nami had even looked up to her like a big sister, but now Nami suddenly saw Robin as a rival.

The thought made Nami's throat hoarse.

Quietly, Robin folded her book and looked at Nami. There was a pause.

"Hi," Robin said after a few seconds. "Do you want to talk?"

Nami nodded quietly. She hesitated slightly, before finally sitting down on a chair facing Robin's. Last time they had this conversation Nami had been crying madly. Now, she was struggling just to think of the words to say. Robin just waited patiently.

_Oh god_, Nami thought with growing discomfort, _I can't believe I'm actually going to talk about this_.

She took a deep breath. "…What… happened last night…" Nami muttered awkwardly. She despised feeling awkward. It was almost as bad as feeling powerless. "…Could you explain?"

Robin raised a delicate eyebrow. "What part?" She asked politely.

Nami's fists tightened. "_Everything_."

The archaeologist paused. "Luffy and I have been together for a while now," she said simply. "We are in a relationship. We know that in a small crew, sex can make things… awkward, so we decided to keep things secret from the others. I _am_ sorry that you found out the way you did last night."

Nami took a deep breath, but didn't reply straight away. "And what about what you said to me last night?" She demanded, her voice becoming angrier.

"What do I need to explain?"

"How about the part where you offered a fucking _threesome_?!" Nami snapped.

"I did no such thing," Robin replied coolly, folding her arms. "I know you like Luffy, and I simply said that I would be able to accept it if you were to form a relationship with him. If you are willing to accept my relationship, then we could come to some arrangement."

Her voice was as composed as ever. Robin had the best poker face that Nami had ever seen. "_However_," Robin continued simply. "That wholly depends on you and Luffy coming into a similar agreement."

"So you're–"

"All I'm offering," Robin interrupted smoothly. "Is that I wouldn't interfere if you wanted to pursue a more intimate relationship with our captain."

Nami bit her lip. It would be easier if Robin gave her a reason to be angry. Instead, the archaeologist was being so reasonable it was horrible. Nami should have hated herself for even entertaining the notion.

"You want to _share_ him?" She mumbled under her breath.

If Nami hadn't been looking closely, she would never have noticed the faint flicker across Robin's otherwise unreadable face. "We would always have to share him," Robin replied after a short pause. "He belongs to the whole crew more than he would ever belong to one person."

The navigator couldn't reply. Somehow, all her emotions just roared through her body but jammed in her throat. Robin just looked at her quietly, while Nami twitched slightly under her cool gaze.

"It's ok to be hesitant," Robin said quietly. "And I would completely understand if you don't want to. But the option is there if you do."

Nami didn't respond. Robin hesitated slightly. "Luffy and I meet in the storage room at ten, after everyone else has gone to sleep," she said finally. "If you are looking for a private moment to talk to him, then you could always meet us there tonight."

The thought made Nami's heart pound furiously. Robin slowly picked her book up again. "If you choose not to come, then I will assume you've made your decision."

It was several long seconds before Nami reacted. Her breaths were long, deep and uncertain. She had barely even realised she made a decision right up until the moment when she heard her voice whisper the words gently.

"I'll be there."

* * *

Luffy had been distracted all day. Nami barely even looked at him, and he never knew what to do. The whole situation just left him lost. Robin, his number one source for all things women related, never explained it to him, and even Vivi was unusually quiet after their late night drinking session, though that might have just been a hangover.

Not for the first time, Luffy felt so completely and utterly lost at anything not related to punching bad guys in the face. And he thought that he had been getting better too.

It was only when the crew was settling down for the night, Luffy sensed Robin waiting in their regular meeting spot using his Haki. Then, a few seconds later, he sensed Nami walking towards her, and both waiting the storage room. At that point, Luffy had to force himself not to dematerialise into lightning to rush towards them.

He arrived in the storage room at only quarter to ten, but it seemed like everyone was early. Luffy's looked confusedly between Robin and Nami, struggling to think of what to say. All his previous apologies and explanations had been awful, and his throat stammered as he tried to say something.

Nami was waiting for him. She was awkwardly standing next to the barrels and crates, pale faced and anxious in the faint light. Nami was wearing her pyjamas, having crept out of bed with a jacket thrown over her shoulders. She was barefoot, with her hair unkempt and messy. Luffy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Nami, what's–" He began weakly, but he was cut off as Robin lightly touched him on the shoulder.

"It's alright," Robin said quietly, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. She paused to peck Luffy lightly on the lips. As her lips touched his, her scent was overpowering, and then she moved to his ear. "_Don't worry about me, I approve_," she whispered very quietly in his ear. The words left him even more confused. "_Just be honest with her_."

Luffy frowned as she pulled away. He was about to question what she meant, but then Robin just motioned to Nami. "I think you two need to have a talk. I'll give you some privacy."

With that, Robin quietly walked out of the room, leaving Luffy alone with Nami. As soon as the door closed behind her, everything was still.

Nami looked uncertain of herself. Luffy really didn't like it when Nami was uncertain; it wasn't a natural look for her.

Several seconds passed awkwardly. The quiet was deafening. Finally, Luffy spoke softly.

"I've really got no idea what to say here," Luffy admitted honestly. "I know I've done something to upset you, and I'm really sorry for being an moron, but I just want you to be–"

"No, Luffy, it's alright," Nami cut him off gently, smiling softly. She hesitated. "It's not you, it's…" She sighed, before relenting. "Could just you sit down here, please?"

Nami hesitantly took a seat on one of the barrels. Luffy nodded and sat down next to her. "Are you unhappy with me and Robin being together?" Luffy asked softly.

She paused, biting her lip softly. "It's not…" Nami took a deep breath. "The reason I was so upset when I saw you two together, well, it's because I… I was jealous of seeing her with you like that."

Luffy's face was completely blank. Nami gritted her teeth and forced the words out. "I was jealous because I _like_ you, Luffy," she said finally. The words felt vaguely like putting a big 'stab me' sign right over her heart. "_I_ wanted to be with you in the same way she was with you."

"Oh," Luffy mumbled dumbly. A few seconds passed. "Oh." The gears started to churn into motion. It took a long time for the understanding to actually dawn. "_Oh_…"

Each second felt like an hour of painful torture for her, and it was long time before Luffy responded. Finally, he spoke. "Nami… I… I don't want to…" Nami braced herself for the dagger. "I don't want to hurt you."

Gently, Luffy took her hand. His touch was so soft and reassuring that Nami felt the tension soothe out of her muscles. "I don't ever want to hurt you," Luffy repeated earnestly. "I just… I just don't know what to do."

"You could be honest," Nami said quietly. "Do you… _like_ me Luffy?"

"Of course!" There was no hesitation.

"Do you like me in the same way you like Robin?"

That caused a pause. Luffy's brain strained as he tried to convert his feelings in to words. It was not an easy thing to do.

"I really don't like comparing the two of you," Luffy said finally. "You're Nami and she's Robin. Anything more than just… makes me feel weird."

It was such a Luffy answer that it caused Nami to growl. It was completely earnest but absolutely unhelpful. Suddenly, Nami realised that Luffy was just as new to this as she was. They were both out of their depth here.

"I just need to know Luffy," she said slowly. "I just need to know if you feel the way I do. Do you… _could_ you love me… or am I just a friend?"

Luffy's mouth dropped open. _Both_, he almost replied instantly, but there was an edge to the question. "Nami…" He asked carefully. "If I say something wrong here… will I hurt you?"

She looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. "If you say something just because you think that's what I want hear," she replied carefully. "Then that's going to hurt me a lot more. I need the truth here."

She was trembling. Luffy had made a vow once that he would always make her smile. He had never, ever wanted to break that promise.

Slowly, with tremendous care, Luffy moved forward. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and he gently held her in a soft, comfortable hug until she stopped trembling. Her body sagged into him.

"You're absolutely precious to me, Nami," he whispered quietly in her ear. It was the most truthful thing he could say. "I don't know how to describe you any more than that, because you're just too… you're too amazing – I don't have the words. You're not Robin, and I don't want you to ever be Robin, because you're perfect the way you are."

She didn't respond. "And I'm not sure what I should do here, but I would just do absolutely anything to make sure you're happy." He gulped. "I don't know how to answer your question, because you _are_ my friend and I love you for that, but I…" He hesitated again. "I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to smile, and I want to make sure that you never, ever have to cry again."

Her arms slowly crept around his torso until she was hugging him back. "And what about Robin?"

"I want to make sure she's happy too," He replied earnestly. "I can't _rank_ you, you're… you're both priceless. I just… I just wish I knew what I could do to make sure you're smiling."

The seconds crept by quietly. In the dark, the only sound was Nami's furiously beating heart, but she wasn't trembling anymore. She was so close to Luffy that she could feel every tremor of his body, and his scent sent her into a daze of emotion. For one timeless moment, she just didn't want it to end.

Then her hands moved slowly up his back, and she could feel that his heart was pounding just as hard as hers was.

"Luffy…" She muttered quietly, before gently pulling away. "You could kiss me…"

They were sitting so closely that their noses were nearly touching. Luffy's hand was on hers and had never moved. The air was so tense that neither of them moved in fear that everything would snap.

"Kiss you…?" Luffy repeated softly.

She nodded breathlessly. "If you want," Nami muttered, with a slight shrug.

There was absolutely nothing that he wanted more. Luffy stared at her incredulously, his brain nearly collapsing in on itself.

Suddenly, Robin's approval made sense.

"Oh," he murmured dumbly. "_Huh_."

Their heads crept together slowly. Luffy's lips felt so dry. Nami gently tucked her hair backwards behind her ear.

Time seemed to fail them. Their hearts were beating so fast that each second felt like a lifetime. Luffy couldn't even remember making the decision to move, but then it seemed like the world was shrinking and Nami's lips were just moving closer to his.

They were so close that he could feel her breath on his mouth. He could see every dot in her irises, even in the gloom.

Then, with excruciating gradualness, her skin touched his. His nose brushed against her cheek and their lips pressed together. The same breath passed between two lungs.

Everything collapsed.

The kiss must have only last a few seconds. It felt like much longer.

After a lifetime, they both slowly pulled away. Both of their eyes were wide.

"_Huh_," Luffy murmured speechlessly.

Nami nodded slowly. "Yeah," she whispered.

Nobody spoke. Reality crashed around them. All the emotions that she been holding in just exploded. Slowly, Nami's eyes started to swell with tears. Luffy's mouth dropped open.

"You're crying," He said with panic. "I'm sorry, did I something? Don't cry, I shouldn't have… Was it my breath–"

"Idiot!" Nami snapped, but gently. She smiled brightly, even as the tears ran down her cheeks. Her hand instinctively slapped lightly off Luffy's forehead, causing them both to grin. "They're good tears."

"Good tears?" Luffy asked quietly.

Nami nodded, before wrapping her arms around him and snuggling into his torso. "Yep," she said definitely, sniffing quietly. "The best tears."

"Right," Luffy muttered. Strong arms wrapped her, and Nami's whole body sagged. The barrels they were sitting on were hard and jagged, but suddenly Nami had never been so comfortable.

The minutes passed slowly. There were so many questions, but they just didn't seem so important as their bodies rested together. After a while, Luffy finally asked. "So… what happens now?"

"I don't know," Nami admitted, but she was too content to care. "Could… could we just talk for a bit?"

"Of course." Luffy paused. "What about?"

Nami smiled softly, stroking his arm. "Tell me about that time you beat Arlong."

Luffy glanced downwards. "You were there."

"I know." Nami shrugged. "I just want you to hear you tell it."

"Ok," he nodded, shuffling backwards before settling in against the wall. "Well, once there was thief who stole from pirates, and she was a really nice person even if she could be an ogre some of the time–"

Nami pinched his shoulder playfully. "Ouch!" Luffy winced. "Alright, fine, _most_ of the time, but she was still – Ouch!"

They both giggled quietly. Nami slowly lifted her legs up until she was resting in Luffy's lap, feet against the wall. Luffy's hand rested in her hair, gently curling her soft orange tresses around his fingers.

Slowly, they started to talk. First about Cocoyasi Village, and then Loguetown, and the Grand Line, and suddenly they were recounting their whole journey to each other. It wasn't anything they hadn't talked about before, but suddenly it was so quiet and tender that every word felt precious.

Nami admitted how long she had cared about Luffy, and then Luffy told her all about how guilty he felt that he let them get hurt in Alabasta. Neither of them even noticed the hours passing as time just tickled away in the isolated storage room.

"It's late," Nami muttered finally, recognising the time. Strangely, she wasn't even remotely tired. "Or early, anyways. We don't have long left, people will be waking up, I guess."

"Yeah, I suppose," Luffy muttered unwillingly. He didn't want the moment to end. "I guess we have to go."

Nami closed her eyes and nodded. Slowly, she pulled herself up. Her body was lean and cat-like. Instantly, Luffy couldn't help but to admire her supple and slender frame. Nami sighed as she sat up, before glancing to Luffy.

_It's time for the night to come to an end_, she figured. She really never wanted this moment to end. As soon as they left the cramped storage room, things would get awkward, they would have stuff to sort out and everything would be complicated.

Right now, it was just him and her, and it was so, so simple and comfortable. She really didn't want that to end.

The thought made Nami pause. _Well_, she thought slowly; _the night's not over just yet_.

She took a deep breath, before looking back at Luffy, feeling her heart race with sudden exhilaration.

"Luffy," She asked quietly, brushing her hair back coyly. "Could you kiss me again?"

There wasn't nearly as much hesitation this time. Nami had took off her jacket in the night, her hair was a mess, she had no make-up, and she looked so good that it was all Luffy could do to _not_ kiss her constantly. As their lips touched, their hearts nearly stopped.

Nami gasped as she felt his tongue brush against hers and into her mouth. The feeling of his touch was delirious.

By the time they broke, they were both panting for breath. Nami's cheeks were flushed; Luffy's mouth was still hanging open. Nami grinned, chewing the end of her hair as she felt the phantom sensation of the kiss shudder through her body.

And, just then, whatever doubts Nami had were out of the window and sinking like an anchor into the sea. She just didn't want that feeling to stop. The adrenaline pushed her onwards.

"Luffy…" She muttered in sultry whisper as she leant backwards against the crates. "Don't _stop_ kissing me."

He smiled, and then the next second he pressing onto her. She didn't even have time to gasp as suddenly his lips pulled the breath straight out of her lungs. Nami's body collapsed into Luffy's arms, and then they were both squeezing into each other.

It was cold in the room, but at that moment the heat was unbearable. Nami couldn't help but moan as his lips caressed hers, and then her hands were automatically pushing up his chest and pulling his jacket off.

_God, his abs are like _stone, Nami realised suddenly as his muscles pressed around her. Luffy wasn't skinny, not anymore, and he was broad shouldered and muscled enough that Nami felt the desire burn through her.

Suddenly, Luffy was bare-chested. "Nami…" He muttered gently. "…Are you sure–"

He was cut off as Nami gently bit his bottom lip. At that moment, there was absolutely nothing else she was surer about. _I want him_, Nami thought with a ferocity that surprised her. It hadn't been planned, but right now there was nothing she could do to stop herself even if she wanted to.

"Yes," Nami muttered hungrily, wrapping her hands around his back and pulling her body in tightly. Her breasts squashed against his body. "I'm sure. Just don't stop."

Luffy nodded dumbly. "Ok," he murmured, and Nami gasped as he started to lightly kiss downwards on her neck.

The pressure from his body was maddening. His mouth was everywhere, kissing and caressing from her ear down to her collarbone, while his hands stroked every inch of her body, tracing the ridges of her muscles all the way to her breasts.

Nami's flaying fingers finally latched onto his waistline. Between his kisses and her own heartbeat, it took several clumsy seconds for her to unlatch his belt. Finally, her hands managed to slip into his trousers, and she gasped as she felt his manhood inside.

_Oh my god, I've just touched Luffy's cock_. The thought caused Nami's mind to go blank.

"Are you alright?" Luffy asked, as Nami seemed to hesitate. He sounded almost amused.

Nami gulped and nodded, trying to stop the hesitation from taking over her. "Fine," she said defiantly.

Luffy grinned cheekily as he wrapped his arms around her tighter. "Do… do you know what you're doing?" He said with a smile.

"Of course!" Nami protested, but he could feel her nerves.

"You've just never… done it before?" He asked softly. Nami bristled.

"How hard can it be if _you_ can do it?" She snapped, but it was playful.

Luffy grin widened, realisation dawning. "Oh wow… that means…" He said teasingly. "…I actually know something that you don't!"

The pride in the statement caused Nami to break down and giggle. Luffy could always just put her completely at ease, despite the growing tension between them. "Idiot!" She growled, slapping him across the forehead. Still, she paused to kiss it better afterwards.

"Hey, that's actually a big deal for me," Luffy protested playfully, as he gently wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her off the ground. "Let me have this moment."

They kissed again, more passionate and more ferocious than the last. "Idiot," Nami moaned breathlessly, as Luffy's hands massaged her hips. He gently placed her so she was sitting on a nearby crate. Nami took a deep breath, her eyes rolling from the ecstasy of sensations tingling across her body.

"Hey…" Luffy muttered, still kissing downwards. He slowly dropped to his knees, until he was kissing down her torso. "…I told you…" Nami gasped as he tenderly kissed her navel. His hands gently played with the hemline of her trousers, before pulling the fabric down her hips. His mouth was still moving downwards. "… let me have this moment…"

For a second, Nami felt completely dumb as she realised what he was intending. Carefully, Luffy pulled her pyjama trousers off her legs, and slowly positioned himself between her thighs. Her womanhood was moist, hot and soft as his lips pressed against hers, between the fluff of orange hair.

Nami gasped so loudly she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying out. His tongue was suddenly inside her, and it was a feeling so intense she couldn't even think of anything else. It was a sensation so foreign, strange, but so utterly incredible that Nami was left speechless. Her back arched and her fingers bit into the crate tightly.

Her head knocked off the wall as she leant backwards, but she didn't care. She gasped and moaned, but the only words that she managed to say were in a tight, forced growl.

"…_Don't_… _stop_…"

* * *

The whole night, Robin spent it outside on deck, distractedly reading her book as she tried very hard not to think about what was happening in the storage room beneath her.

She had promised herself that she wasn't going to use her powers to eavesdrop. She had almost kept that promise, too.

_I knew this was going to have to happen_, Robin thought quietly. She had even given permission. Still, that didn't make it any easier to swallow.

Only someone who knew Robin very well would have been tell how disturbed she was as she sat out on deck, and watched the sea roll around the ship.

* * *

Nami's eyes flickered open lazily as the sunlight hit them, but she groaned and tried to go back to sleep. Her leg was still wrapped around Luffy's naked body, and he felt so warm that she just didn't want to move. She was naked as well, and the wooden floor boards were chilly, yet Nami was draped around Luffy with her head snuggled into his chest.

The throbbing between her thighs hadn't faded all night. It didn't really _hurt_, but she could feel the pressure from where Luffy had pushed through. Drops of blood still speckled across the floor. It was slightly uncomfortable to close her legs, but Nami was too otherwise content to care. Luffy was fast asleep, and Nami was happy to just rest on his body despite the daylight.

It took a long time for her tired brain to make the connection. _Despite the daylight…?_ She thought sleepily. Her eyes opened suddenly.

"Oh crap!" Nami cursed, instantly jumping upwards. Luffy groaned and stirred with the movement. "Luffy!" Nami hissed quietly, shaking his body urgently. "Luffy, wake up! It's _daylight_!"

He groaned loudly in protest. Nami had to cover his mouth as he pulled himself awake. "_Quiet!_" Nami hissed. "The others – they're awake!"

Luffy's eyes rolled tiredly as he pulled himself up. "Wha…?" He groaned.

Nami groaned with irritation, crawling across the floor to pick up her clothes. She honestly wouldn't be able take it if they were discovered naked on the floor of the storage room. Last night had been utter bliss, but now that she was awake the worries were already seeping through.

"Get dressed and be quiet!" Nami hissed urgently at Luffy, throwing his pants at him quickly. She quickly pulled her bottoms on, and tried searching for her top. "They're going to wonder where we are–"

"It's alright," a calm voice interrupted suddenly. Nami jumped as she heard the door open and close quickly. "I've taken care of it."

"Robin!" Nami squealed in shock, rapidly covering her exposed breasts with her arms. Luffy clambered upwards, hiding his manhood with his trousers. Robin didn't seem even slightly concerned by their nakedness.

"Hey," the dark-haired woman said gently, politely averting her eyes. Robin picked up Nami's top from where it had been thrown across the room and passed it to the navigator. "I've covered for you," Robin explained simply. "I told the crew that Nami is having a long morning bath, while Luffy is practicing his walking on air technique in the sky somewhere. Take your time, get cleaned up, come out when you're ready."

She quietly placed a bucket full of warm water on the ground, along with a few towels. Nami glanced sheepishly between Robin and Luffy quietly, but took the towel gratefully and started to wash her body up a bit. Luffy staggered upwards and quickly pulled on his clothes.

"Hey, Robin," Luffy asked with concern. "How are you–"

He was silenced quickly as Robin pressed her mouth down to his smoothly. The kiss was soft, affectionate and gentle. Luffy blinked in surprise.

Nami was left speechless as she watched the man who she had just slept with kiss another woman. Nami had to suppress the cold shiver that crept down her spine. The day was just full of firsts.

"I'm fine," Robin said simply, passing a towel to Luffy walking away. Robin politely smiled at Nami as she passed. "I'll stand on-guard outside, come out when you're ready. Breakfast is being served upstairs, don't walk out together."

With that, Robin left the room. Nami gulped quietly and rubbed his eyes. "And to think I thought that was going to be _weird_," she muttered under her breath.

Luffy was frowning unhappily. Despite how she was acting, he could tell that Robin wasn't ok. Doubt started to crawl up on him.

"What about you?" Luffy asked after a while, turning to Nami. "Are you alright?"

Nami smiled softly. "Yeah," she answered honestly. "I am, actually. Last night, it was… it was special. I knew the morning after was going to be weird, but…" Nami hesitated slightly. "…but maybe we can work through the weirdness."

"Right," Luffy nodded. He felt absolutely exhausted and it was only just breakfast. He looked at Nami curiously. "Did… did you enjoy it?"

Her smile widened. "Idiot," she chided, lightly slapping him over the head. "Of course I enjoyed it."

Luffy grinned. "I like being your idiot," he admitted quietly, heading towards the door.

"Good," Nami laughed. "You're good at being an idiot."

He smiled brightly, and they kissed and left the room. Luffy went first to avoid suspicion. Nami waited a few minutes, sorted her hair out, and then left after him.

Robin was outside, waiting patiently at the stairs. Nami approached cautiously. "Hi," Robin said politely. "I've got something for you."

She handed Nami a small leather pouch. The navigator took it gingerly. "What is it?"

"Herbs," Robin said delicately.

Nami unfastened the pouch. Inside, there were several different pockets, all filled with small bags of various dried leaves. "Herbs," Nami repeated confusedly. "What for?"

"Protection," Robin replied gingerly. Nami still looked confused. "Mugwort, pennyroyal, various others. You know, for… _prevention_."

Realisation dawned. Nami's hand went to her stomach instinctively. "Oh," she muttered in shock. "You mean… oh."

Robin nodded. "Yes," she said softly. "I thought you might want to avoid the trip to Chopper."

"Right. Yes, definitely. Thank you," Nami blushed with the thought. Chopper was a more than capable doctor in most respects, but women's health definitely wasn't one of them. Nami looked down at the pouch hesitantly. "Um… How do you…?"

"You can brew it into a tea," Robin explained reassuringly. "It tastes foul, but drink it the morning after. There are various… recipes available."

Nami was still blushing. Her mother had died when she was very young, and she had never had anyone to teach her these things properly. Robin must have noticed her discomfort. "I could show you, if you want," she offered kindly, before adding, "Your choice, of course."

The navigator gulped, but then nodded. It had been a certain aspect of sex that had completely been forgotten in the moment. Now Nami was kicking herself for not thinking about it.

"Yes, please – I do," Nami nodded definitely.

"Ok," Robin agreed. "But let's go to breakfast first. Meet me in the bathroom afterwards."

"Right," Nami nodded as they started walking up the stairs. Robin held the door open for her.

After a pause, Nami finally had to ask. "Are things going to be awkward between us?" She murmured quietly as they went out on deck.

"Not unless you make it awkward," Robin replied. The sounds of breakfast were already audible. "We're all on the same boat here."

As Nami walked into the room, she glanced at Vivi awkwardly. A stab of guilt hit her as she watched the princess. _Yeah_, Nami thought sadly, _we're all on the same boat_.

After breakfast, Nami cornered Luffy outside. The captain looked at her with clear concern. "What's wrong?" He asked uncertainly.

Nami had to force the words out. "I think it's probably best if you had a talk with Vivi sometime," Nami suggested quietly. "In private."

* * *

Luffy went to bed early that day, earlier than everyone else. It was still bright outside, but he was absolutely exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The memories of Nami, and Robin, still flickered at the front of his mind.

It had been a long day. Luffy was still trying to make sense of most of it. He was too exhausted to get very far.

_Girlfriends_, Luffy thought to himself. That had been the word of the day. He had thought he had known what the word meant, but suddenly it seemed more complicated than ever.

_I now have two girlfriends_, he thought stupidly. An unspoken agreement between the three of them just seemed to develop somehow. He and Robin had been in relationship before, but Robin had always avoided using the word 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend'. Now the words were out there.

Luffy had kissed two different women today; and he realised that he cared about them both with everything he had. Two different priceless objects.

_Girlfriend_, Luffy mused quietly. He knew the word, but he was just realising the connotations. As he laid in bed and felt the sleep creep over him, he continued to roll that word around in his head as he thought about everything that was precious.

_Huh... I never realised how utterly terrifying that word was before_…

That was the last thing he remember thinking before the sleep overtook him and his eyes flickered closed…

* * *

… Luffy's eyes shot open quickly. Suddenly, he wasn't in his bed anymore.

Luffy gasped as he glanced around the unfamiliar room. It was dark cavernous room, with brown stone walls and a ceiling so high that it was lost in shadows. There was no obvious light source, but somehow everything was completely visible. He wasn't on the Going Merry anymore; it felt more like he was underground. Panic started to seep in as Luffy glanced around at his surroundings.

Even though he had never seen this place before, Luffy couldn't help but feel like it was familiar somehow.

"Where am I?!" Luffy demanded to the quiet, stony room, and he heard his voice echo infinitely around the cavern. He suddenly realised that he was wearing his jacket and trousers again, fully dressed.

_I'm dreaming_, he decided slowly, as he stared straight upwards at the infinite roof above him. This has to be a dream…

"You're not very smart, are you?" A patronising voice drawled from behind. Instantly, Luffy spun around.

In the corner of the room, it looked somebody had been living there for a long time. The brown stone walls had been painted bright green, and there were even pictures of goofy, colourful shapes hanging on the walls. There was a pink bed up against the wall (a water bed by the looks of it), and an orange armchair was facing away from Luffy.

"Who's there?" Luffy demanded, walking towards the room.

Littered across the floor, there were further signs of an inhabitant. There was a palette covered in paints and a half-finished, crudely-drawn portrait on an easel, a workstation with dozens of clay cups, and a sketchpad filled with rough drawings, clearly the result of years of crude work. Colourful dolls, toys and figurines in the shapes of dinosaurs, dragons, and all sorts of weird animals were dotted across the floor. It looked like a child had lived here for years, or at the very least an adult with an eccentric personality.

Luffy's sandal knocked against a toy of a baby dinosaur abandoned on the ground. It was made out of rubber.

"Oh dear," the voice muttered dryly. There was someone sitting in the armchair, facing away from Luffy. "You really are dumber than I was expecting."

"What's going on here?!" Luffy demand angrily, but he was growing more and more confused the more details he started to take in.

The whole habitat, a large room within the cavern, looked like it had been made completely out of rubber, but then abandoned. The desks were mess, the pictures ripped off the walls, and all of the toys thrown madly across the floor. It was like somebody had had a tantrum in the middle of the rubber room.

And then there was dull orange armchair. That was the one bit of furniture that just didn't fit with every else. The rest was bright colours, gaudy rubber and eccentric toys, yet the armchair was old, tasteful and mature. It looked like it was made out of fine fabric and it reeked of posh wealth.

A fancy chair dumped in the middle of a childish room.

Luffy paused as he glared at the enclosure. Slowly, he could feel the killing intent rising from whoever was sitting at the chair; angry, savage, bloodthirsty and distinctly inhuman. It was presence that made every hair on Luffy's body stand on end.

"Who are you?" Luffy repeated again, but this time was voice was more defensive. Slowly, Luffy dropped into a fighting stance, ready for anything.

There was a sigh. "Oh my," the voice muttered irritably. "I guess I'm going to have start with basics with you. Don't worry; I'll use short words so your pathetic mind can keep up."

It was a man's voice. Slowly, the figure stood up and turned around to face Luffy, casting a disdainful look over the gaudy rubber surroundings. He was a man, not particularly tall, fairly young, with bleach blonde spiky hair and wearing a dark suit without the jacket. His shirt was spotlessly bright white, and it would have almost been formal, if it not for the collar that was unbuttoned and the sleeves that were rolled up. There were several bright gold rings on his fingers, expensive bracelets across his arms, and multiple golden studs through both ears.

But it was eyes that were the most striking thing. His eyes seemed to glisten. He had the most electric eyes that Luffy had ever seen.

"Well, hello there, _Monkey D. Luffy_," the man muttered dryly, his voice drenched with arrogance and sarcasm. "I figured it was about time for us to have a little chat."

Luffy glared at him, glancing nervously around the room. Instinctively, he didn't like this man. He couldn't even sense the man's presence with Mantra. "What is this place?" Luffy demanded.

"What do you think, numbskull?" The man sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I wouldn't expect you to be able to understand it, but surely even your own ape-like intelligence could put two and two together. You're inside your own head." The man smirked viciously, motioning to the empty cavern. "Hence why it's so empty."

Luffy blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Hell…" The man repeated quietly, his eyes flashing. "Very interesting choice of words."

Luffy's hands clenched into fists. "I won't ask you again," Luffy said darkly. "_Who are you?!_"

The man quietly cracked his knuckles. "Careful now, _boy_. Don't act like you're in charge here," the man warned dangerously. There was a slight reverberation in his voice. "If you're very polite and you keep your head down, then I might just allow you to leave here alive. If not… well… I'm not really known for giving _second chances_."

This man was an enemy. That was something that Luffy was very good at determining. "I don't like threats," Luffy muttered, cracking his knuckles.

The man just smirked, rubbing his spiky blonde hair backwards. "Oh, you have no idea," he muttered under his breath.

There was no hesitation. In an instant, Luffy slammed his hand forward, willing the electricity to flow from his palm. He had practiced enough; there should have been a roaring bolt of lightning. Except this time, there was absolutely nothing.

Luffy's eyes widened in shock. "What the…?" He mumbled in confusion. "…My power?"

"'Your' power?!" The man growled, his face contorting with rage. "You mean _this_ power?"

His hand shot open. Before Luffy could even react, the lightning burst from his fingers and crashed into Luffy. The power sent him crashing across the cavern and slamming into the far wall. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

"Your_ fucking power?!_" The man screamed furiously, all composure gone. Instantly, the man disintegrated into lightning and reappeared next to Luffy, slamming his fist with such force that it felt like it snap his body in half. "_You think _you_ own _my_ power?!_"

The lightning roared in pure, primal rage and suddenly the air exploded into sparks. Luffy didn't even have time to gasp as suddenly a hand of electricity picked him off the floor and slammed him bodily into the wall.

The well-dressed man was gone, transformed into a giant being of pure, brilliant white lightning with sharpened teeth and insane eyes.

"_YOU THINK YOU ARE IN CONTROL HERE?!_" The monster roared, tightening its clawed fingers around Luffy until his bones started to crack. "_IT MIGHT BE YOUR MIND, YOUR BODY, BUT IT IS MY POWER THAT YOU ARE USING!_"

Luffy could barely breathe. The pain was more intense than anything as he felt the electricity burn through him. He wasn't immune to lightning anymore.

"And believe me, brat, I know a thing or two about _power_!" The lightning monster spat furiously. Slowly, Luffy became aware of two large horns protruding out of its head.

Horns like a devil.

The realisation came slowly. The monster grinned, revealing a mouth full of sharp, electric fangs. "Yeah," it said smugly. "My name is Rumble Rumble. You can call me Mr Rumble. And I want have a little _chat_."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The smoked bacon, leek and roast garlic quiche cooked slowly in the oven. The filling was only just starting to set, but already the delicious aroma was mouth-watering. It had been in for exactly 19 minutes, 34 seconds, and approximately 8 minutes, 56 seconds to go.

Hamilton stood over the oven with a timer, watching the pastry cook carefully. He didn't need to watch it so closely, of course, but he had always found a strange sense of peace in watching his food cook.

Next to him, Dagmund glared at the leader impatiently. Dagmund was extremely short and stocky, a dwarf with white straw hair, a leathery face and a constant scowl. "Well?" Dagmund demanded. "What we going to do?"

"_I'm_ going to cook a quiche," Hamilton replied calmly. "Then I'm going to eat a quiche. You're welcome to join me in eating the quiche, of course."

"I meant…" Dagmund said irritably. "… what are we going to do about our whole situation here. You know as well I do that the chief-of-staff should be here by now. He was meant to come to check on our whole operation. Something must have happened to him."

"He _is_ really strong, mind," Namami added, from the table. The tall man straightened out his cowboy hat, resting his spurred boots on the table casually. He had a long ageless face, flamboyantly dressed in leathers, with black, greasy hair. "There's not much in this half of the ocean that could happen to the number two of the whole Revolutionary Army."

"He's still too late," Dagmund protested. "Something must have happened."

The quiche was cooking well. _Perhaps I should turn it down a bit_, Hamilton mused; _give the crust time to soften_. "Yes," Hamilton agreed coolly. "He is far too late. Still, that is a problem for _after_ the quiche."

Dagmund groaned and irritably went towards back towards the table, for a game of hold 'em against Namami. They were still arguing about their missing chief-of-staff right up until the minute they heard a crash from outside, and a cheerful whistling coming down the corridor.

Bloodgrin strolled happily into the room. The scarred man grinned brightly, and he was holding a larger wafer corn filled with ice cream. "Howdy, boys," he said merrily.

"Oi, Bloodgrin," Dagmund asked urgently. "What do you think about the late arrival?"

The scarred man just waved his hand dismissively, licking his ice cream. "You guys worry too much. Won't make any difference by fretting about it," Bloodgrin said with a shrug as he dropped onto the chair. "Just do what I do – just take life as it comes."

As soon as Bloodgrin sat down, Daisuke stood up and walked to the opposite side of the room. Daisuke was so fat that he was nearly round, and heavy enough that the floorboards creaked with each step, but also so timid that he could barely even stand next to Bloodgrin. Daisuke was currently trying to stay as far out of the argument as possible.

Dagmund was still arguing, but Bloodgrin refused to care. Hamilton continued to stare intently at his quiche, but slowly he became more distracted by a tingling in the back of his mind. Something was wrong.

After a few seconds, Hamilton finally looked up. "Bloodgrin," he said finally. His voice was quiet, but it still silenced the whole room. "What are you eating?"

Bloodgrin looked bemused. "Ice cream," he said simply, holding up the wafer corn as illustration.

"But where did you get the ice?" Hamilton asked calmly.

Bloodgrin just shrugged. "Haven't you looked outside? It's snowing like mad out there."

There was a pause. Hamilton moved to turn the temperature down on the oven. "Is it now…?" he mused under his breath, mind reeling. Hamilton was smart enough to make the connection very quickly. He turned to his crew. "Everyone grab your weapons; we've got company."

There was a mumble from the four men. "What?" Namami protested. "Because of snow?"

"This is an autumn island, during summer," Hamilton said simply, not even turning around as he went for the door. "Why would it ever be _snowing_?"

Namami just shrugged and holstered his dual pistols. Dagmund grumbled as he picked up his crossbow. Bloodgrin kept on licking his ice cream.

"You're supposed to be a swordsman," Namami commented, frowning at the weapon-less Bloodgrin. "Where's your sword?"

Bloodgrin just scoffed. "As if I need one," he bragged, holding up his ice cream confidently. "I could kill a man just as easily with a cornetto."

Daisuke was so scared that Dagmund had to pull the fat man outside. Daisuke was, admittedly, ten times the dwarf's size, but Dagmund was stubborn.

"I don't want to go!" Daisuke protested weakly. "I don't like fighting!"

"Tough – you're good at it," Dagmund growled, kicking Daisuke with a steeled-toed boat so hard that he nearly flew out of the ship.

Outside, Jaya Island was obscured by a heavy flurry of snow, but Hamilton was already walking ahead, straight towards the golden bell. The rest of his crew followed cautiously.

Cricket Town was deserted. It was freezing cold, but the Revolutionary never cared. Hamilton walked calmly through the snowstorm, before slowly picking up on a weak presence. The intruder obviously knew how to hide themselves from Observation Haki – Hamilton had very nearly missed it.

Slowly, he approached another figure, standing in front of the golden bell. The intruder was a young woman, with bright green long hair, a voluptuous figure, wearing very skimpy clothes despite the cold. Hamilton's eyes narrowed. She wasn't shivering.

"Can I _help_ you?" He asked coldly.

The woman jumped. Apparently she had thought the snowstorm would be enough to hide her presence. Still, she recovered quickly, turning to face Hamilton with a smile and coy glance.

"Hey there!" She said pleasantly, in a high-pitched apologetic voice. "So sorry for trespassing, but this bell is just, like, so amazing! I'm a research student, I'm actually do my doctorate on it, and I just so wanted to–"

"You're lying," Hamilton interrupted, folding his arms as he started at her indifferently. She was a good liar, but he was a better one.

Instantly, the woman's eyes turned almost predatory. She smiled and licked her lips. All of the fake cheer and innocence was gone, replaced by a cold focus. "Well," the woman muttered sarcastically. "I suppose that makes two of us, '_Professor'_."

Hamilton smiled pleasantly. "Well, actually," he corrected smoothly. "… that makes six."

At once, the rest of his crew stepped out of the snowstorm, all of them taking positions circling the intruder. Even, Daisuke, fumbling and cowardly, managed to step forward in what could have been seen a threatening manner, if Dagmund hadn't been required to give him a shove. Namami had his guns holstered, but his fingers were twitching to draw, even despite the cowboy's vulnerability to the cold. Dagmund had his crossbow armed and ready.

Bloodgrin, true to his word, wielded his ice cream cone threateningly. "'Ello, love," he said cheerfully. Unlike everyone else, Bloodgrin wasn't even remotely bothered by the freezing temperature. Immunity to cold was part of his unique condition. "Ya wouldn't mind just coming with us for a bit?"

The intruder didn't move. There was something almost bird-like about the way she sized up all of her opponents. _Clearly experienced_, Hamilton decided, _probably strong_. Not that it would make much difference.

"How about we keep this reasonable?" Hamilton offered. "Why don't you just tell us your name and what you're doing here?"

She smiled coldly. Around them, the snowstorm started to swirl. "Monet," she introduced calmly. "And I'm just here waiting for my boss to come back down. I figured I'd check out the local attraction while I'm waiting."

"Hmm…" Hamilton mused, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Well, that's a concise answer. Then I suppose the next question to answer is…" His smile didn't waver. "… why exactly should _we_ allow you to leave here alive?"

Monet's smile was vicious. "Hmm… Now that is a hard one…" She deliberated, before raising her hand. "How about three hundred tonnes of snow? Would that be a good answer?"

With a flick of her wrist, the sky exploded into furious explosion of snow. Hail as fast as bullets from a Gatling gun burst everywhere. The others dodged, but Hamilton took the full brunt of the attack. Snowballs as sharp as dagger cut towards him, and the Revolutionary didn't even try to block.

Before anybody could even react, Monet was already moving again. The snow twisted around her, forming a wall of solid snow to the block the others while the snowstorm hid her movements. In seconds, the Revolutionaries were blocked and Monet had a clear path towards her ship.

Monet grunted in satisfaction as she turned to run. The others were still blocked by the wall of snow but Monet was already leaving towards the harbour. She barely made it five steps when she heard the voice from behind her.

Hamilton sounded almost bored. "That was a fairly poor answer. Very bad form."

Her eyes widened in shock. Hamilton calmly walked towards her, brushing the snowflakes off his sweater vest. "Did you _really_ think it would be that easy?" He asked curiously, folding his arms again.

Monet paused, turning around to face him. She had hit him straight on. Monet was sure that she had never missed, and the snow hadn't been blocked either. It was like her attack had just gone straight through. Snow that cold could shear through flesh like a knife. It should have shredded him to pieces.

And yet Hamilton standing there, completely unharmed.

There was a pause. Monet's eyes narrowed. "Are you a Logia Devil fruit user?" She asked cautiously, dropping backwards in a fighting stance.

Hamilton just chuckled. He was short, slender and completely unassumingly dressed, but somehow the aura of danger still excreted from him. It was enough to make Monet twitch. Hamilton had never _tried_ to be threatening his whole life.

"No; I'm most definitely not Logia," he admitted. "Although I have eaten a Devil fruit. As a matter of fact, I am a… well… I suppose I am an _Anti_-Logia Devil fruit user."

Her hands clenched. "_Anti-Logia_…?" Monet muttered slowly. "How's that possible?"

Hamilton smirked. "Oh, lots of things are possible." He slowly took off his horn-rimmed glasses, and placed them carefully in his pocket. His eyes were cold. "Now then, you have exactly three minutes, seventeen seconds to give me a reason not kill you, or otherwise I'm going to tear your limbs off."

There was absolutely no humour in his voice, or in his eyes. Everything about the statement was completely and utterly serious. Despite herself, Monet slowly took a step backwards.

"Why such a precise time?" She asked cautiously. She was already judging everything up; the distance to her ship, his position, how far she could get. She was outnumbered and against an unknown foe; battle didn't seem like a good idea and Monet was a pragmatist at heart.

"Because then I've got to take a quiche out of the oven," Hamilton replied pleasantly. "You're running out of time."

There was a long pause. Monet weighted up her options carefully. Then, Hamilton took a step forward.

"Wait!" Monet shouted suddenly, holding up her hands innocently. She forced a smile. "Hold on. You met with Nico Robin not too long ago, didn't you?"

Hamilton paused. "Yes," he said with a nod, sizing up every movement expertly. She clearly had an angle. "Why?"

Monet smiled with fake sweetness. "Well, I'm just surprised that you _helped_ her, that's all," she said coolly. "I would have thought that the Revolutionaries would have had more reason to _stop_ her, all things considered."

He didn't react straight away. He took then time to examine every possibility behind the statement before answering. He was a very methodical man.

"_Explain_," Hamilton said sharply, all pleasantries gone.

Monet's grin widened. Information was key in her business, and Monet always took great care to always be better informed. "Just how much do you _really_ know about Poneglyths, and the Ancient Weapons?"

Hamilton's eyes darkened. He glanced towards the golden bell briefly. He paused for a few seconds.

"I'm listening."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Well, I had fun with this chapter. There has been a lot of drama recently, I wanted to move things forward. Please tell me how I did. **

**A bit more development on some OC baddies, as well. I wanted to make sure they were distinct and interesting enough. Hamilton and his crew are going to be around for a while; I've got a nice storyline planned for them. **

**As for Mr Rumble... well... I quite like Mr Rumble, actually. I've been planning that plot twist for a long time :)**

**Next chapter: 'Awakened'...**


	29. Chapter 29: Awakened

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: My psychiatrist insists that I don't own One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

**Luffy, after entering a romantic relationship with both Nami and Robin, falls asleep and appears in a dream-like place, and encounters a demonic being of lightning that introduced itself as Mr Rumble Rumble...**

**Also, over the course of their adventures, both Usopp and Conis have had supernatural experiences with a being inhabiting the Going Merry...**

* * *

**Chapter 29: Awakened**

* * *

Its body was pure, brilliantly electric white. The air crackled and hummed with raw power, while huge claws of energy tightened around Luffy's waist. The power was so extreme that it put Enel to shame. The electricity wrapped around the devil's body like a shawl, the air vibrating so intensely that Luffy could barely breathe. All the pirate could see was Rumble Rumble's eyes, pulsing like two supernovas glaring at him with barely restrained fury.

"Make no mistake, brat," Mr Rumble growled, his voice deep, throaty and guttural, echoing like thunder with every syllable. "_I'm_ the one with the power here."

Suddenly, the claws unfastened and Luffy dropped to the ground, gasping in pain. The devil slowly stepped backwards. Its body was made out of pure lightning, crackling and sparking so violently that its form was nearly indistinguishable, but Luffy could just make out the spikes of two long horns protruding from its head, talons like an eagle, a spiked tail and sharp curves from its back that looked like wings.

Rumble Rumble grunted in mild annoyance, and slowly the demonic body began to ripple. The lightning sparked and wavered, and then the young, well-dressed man reappeared from the shape. The sudden spark of fury was gone, and his posture seemed more irritated than angry as he brushed down his suit and straightened his collar.

Luffy was left trembling uncontrollably, his body screaming in pain, but it took him a while to realise that something was different. He looked down at his chest in shock, but there wasn't a mark. Even his clothes were intact.

"There's no injury," Luffy gasped in shock. Rumble Rumble's attack had hurt, but there wasn't any damage. "…It hurts, but there's no injury…"

"Of course not," Mr Rumble snorted. "I told you; we're in your mind. Pain can exist in the head, but that body is just an imaginary construct. You can't damage imagination."

Luffy grit his teeth in fury. Everything felt so real, his legs were twitching, but he forced himself to stagger upwards. He had to clutch the wall as he glared furiously at Mr Rumble.

"_What are you?_" Luffy demanded in hissed whisper.

"Do you really have to ask?" The man replied, smirking arrogantly. "After all, you _ate_ me."

Luffy's eyes narrowed. "You're the Rumble Rumble fruit." It wasn't a question.

"I'm the Devil that was hibernating in that fruit," he retorted, matter of fact. "Don't you know the stories? All Devil fruits contain a different aspect of the Devil. Humans eat Devil fruits; they absorb the Devil's power."

Luffy had to take a deep breath as he struggled to comprehend the statement. His head was spinning. "But… but…" He stammered. It took him a few seconds to process the hurricane of questions. "… but what do you want with me?"

There was a spark of anger in Mr Rumble's eyes. "I told you, I figured it was time for a chat," he said coldly. "This might be our first meeting, but you have already managed to really piss me off."

"What are you talking about?" Luffy demanded, eyes unblinking.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I _liked_ my previous host," Mr Rumble explained slowly, as if talking to a dumb child. "_He_ understood what lightning was. _He_ kept me nice and relaxed most of the time, and _he_ let me regularly torch his enemies into cinders. I was pretty comfortable with him."

Luffy bristled. "Enel was a monster."

The devil just shrugged. "I don't care." he said indifferently. "I never knew his name, his motives nor what he did with my power. Lightning doesn't care about good or evil – lightning just wants to _burn_."

"Well, I care," Luffy growled.

"That's because you're human," he said condescendingly. "Pathetic things like compassion don't tend to bother devils."

Luffy didn't reply. The pirate's body was tensed and poised, ready to fight at a moment's notice. Mr Rumble seemed completely relaxed.

"Anyways, I was comfortable with my old host," he continued, conversationally. "I was inside him for years, but then _you_ came along. Oh, sure, humans have to die eventually and I have to reincarnate, but then you decided to ram that metal bastard into my host." His eyes flashed with anger. "How the hell would you like it if you were just relaxing at home, and then some monkey drops one of your old enemies right on top of you?!"

Mr Rumble's face contorted in primal fury. Luffy caught another glimpse of the devil underneath the fake, well-dressed human veneer. "That was fucking annoying!" Rumble Rumble snarled. "Two devils aren't ever meant to meet, it pops containers like a balloon!"

Luffy never said a word. Rumble Rumble's eyes sparked. "And then, just to really piss me off, _you_ ate _me_!" He roared furiously, his voice echoing. "And _this place_ still _stinks_ from the Gum Gum devil!"

His body started to shift again. "_I hate that Rubber bastard!_" The devil shrieked. "I _dream_ about tearing that fucker to shreds, and you go and drop me into my _arch-nemesis' old house!_"

The roar caused the air to crack. Suddenly, his body expanded into a whirling tower of electricity, rumbling monstrously. Luffy flinched and ducked for cover, but the devil wasn't aiming for him. Suddenly, a ferocious bolt of lightning fired towards the rubber bed in the corner of the room. The light was blinding.

And then, when the smoke cleared, the rubber bed was completely intact.

The lightning seemed to falter for half a second. Then, Rumble Rumble exploded in renewed rage.

"He left his fucking furniture behind!" The devil screeched, unleashing furious arcs of electricity at the rubber room. "His fucking gaudy furniture! You have any idea what it's like when every sight reminds me of _him?!_"

The thunder was so loud that Luffy couldn't even speak. It took a few long minutes for the devil to calm down and slowly resume his human form. _Short bursts of fury_, Luffy realised dumbly.

Mr Rumble spat angrily at the rubber bed, kicking a toy rubber dinosaur with frustration. "I can't destroy this crap," he snarled, motioning to the rubber room in exasperation. "I can't even get rid of it. It's always around me and I _despise_ being contained." He took a deep, calming breath, before turning to face Luffy again. His eyes shone in cold anger. "So then… I got to ask… did you actually try to piss me off or are you really just _that_ dumb?"

There was a long pause. Luffy's fist clenched. "I get it," he muttered quietly, glancing around the empty chamber. "This is my head. This is a dream, isn't it?" He didn't take his eyes off Mr Rumble. "You can't really hurt me."

The devil paused. "Don't you dare try to act cocky with me," he said in quiet warning. "You've got _no idea_ how much I can hurt you. This might be a dreamscape, but, believe me, I am very, very real."

Nobody spoke. Both of them stared at each other quietly. "How is this possible?" Luffy asked eventually. "I've never heard of devils from Devil fruits talking to people before."

"Normally, we don't," Rumble Rumble admitted. "The Devils more or less hibernate inside their hosts; it's forbidden for us to reveal ourselves." The smirk spread slowly across his face. "Usually, anyways. But _you're_ a special case. Your body is… hmm… how should I explain it? Let us say…your body is _atypical_."

Luffy's eyes flickered in doubt. The devil was still smirking. "And I am _awakened_," Rumble Rumble continued. "Humans aren't meant to lose Devil fruits and they're not meant to go that far into death. The _usual_ rules stop applying."

"Awakened," Luffy repeated quietly. "What does that mean?"

"It means I can talk to you like this," he said smugly. "It means that I'm not just a piece of luggage anymore, _I'm_ in the passenger's seat, looking out the window, right next to the driver. It means that I have more _power_ than you can possibly imagine."

There was another pause. Luffy frowned. "What do you want?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"Lightning only ever wants one thing…" The devil muttered. "…Lightning just wants to spark."

He slowly dropped into the orange armchair. "You're my host now," Mr Rumble explained. "That means you're going to need to channel my power, and, fine, that's your right as a host. And I do have so much power. But if you want me to supply that power, well, you better make me comfortable as a tenant."

Mr Rumble slouched in his armchair, throwing his legs over the armrest. Luffy looked confused. "You're the landlord," Mr Rumble said slowly. "So long as you make me happy, then I'll give you my power as rent."

It was a long time before Luffy spoke. "I don't need to do anything for you," he said slowly. "You can't hurt me and I already have your power." Luffy paused. "If I die, what happens to you?"

Rumble Rumble's eyes were frighteningly intense. Slowly, he clicked his fingers. The lightening sparked, and electricity shot into the air and twisted into shape. "Allow me to explain how Devil fruits work," he explained quietly. "The Devil is the source of the power, and the human channels that power. The stronger the human, the more power he can channel. The more the human and Devil are in sync, the better the connection between them. The Devil supplies that power because, well, reincarnating _sucks_, and the stronger the host is the more likely he is to stay alive."

The electricity was still writhing in the air. With a twist of Mr Rumble's fingers, the sparks twisted into focus, suddenly forming a picture perfect image of the Going Merry. Luffy gasped, but the lightning formed an image as clear as a television screen. He could see his friends all laughing and playing on deck.

"But awakened Devil fruits are different," Rumble Rumble continued. "Awakened Devil fruits are _aware_. I can see your memories, and your dreams. I've got a direct link to the back of your mind, and whenever you sleep, I can hijack the dream. And that means that I'm not a quiet partner anymore."

He clicked his fingers again. Suddenly the image morphed. Luffy gasped as the Going Merry disappeared, replaced by the picture of smoking, charred, shapeless corpses, torched to the bone, surrounded by burning cinders. The devil's eyes were cold.

"I know what you care about the most, and I will _burn them into ash_ unless you listen to me," Mr Rumble snarled. The image was still changing, flicking through his friends, one by one, and showing their charred corpses. Luffy's eyes bulged. His hands clenched so tightly he might have drawn blood.

"Don't you dare," Luffy growled, his voice bloodthirstily quiet. "_Don't you dare threaten them._"

"Oh really?" Mr Rumble smirked. "And just how are you going to protect them when the threat is inside of you? Just remember, every time you use my power, _that's_ what I could do."

"I will tear that fruit out of my body before I ever let you hurt them," Luffy vowed darkly. His fists were trembling.

"I know you will. And I also know that my next host _might_ be even worse than you. Not likely, but still." Mr Rumble shrugged. "And so we've got ourselves a stand-off. And, like I said, if you don't want to have a big problem then all you've got to do is be a good host."

Luffy didn't respond. "I like long naps and short bursts of activity," Mr Rumble said with a large grin. "I like burning things. I like that moment when everything breaks down and vaporises into smoke. I love watching things explode and there's nothing better than vaporising people into faint smudges of dirt on the wall. You give me that, and I'll be happy."

The pirate didn't say a word. The devil scratched his chin thoughtfully. "One more thing, I despise weakness," he warned. "If you ever lose another battle again then you and I are going to have _issues_."

He sighed, glancing around at the rubber room. "Also, I need a better place to live," he said despondently. "I'm going to have to train you how to reshape your mindscape. You imagine me up a mansion, that'd be a good start."

Luffy's fists never unclenched. Rumble Rumble paused to think. "I suppose those terms will do for now," he said finally. "Keep me happy, and I'll make you powerful. Word of advice; awakened Devil fruit users can put the regular ones to _shame_. You've got no idea how strong an awakened Logia can become."

It took a long time for Luffy to talk. Eventually, he spoke. "You will never threaten them again," he growled darkly. "_Never. Again_. I will not stand for any threats."

The devil smirked. "I hope I won't have to."

The unspoken meaning behind the statement sent waves of rage roaring down Luffy's body. There was so much anger that the mindscape trembled dangerously.

"You think you can be dangerous?" Luffy muttered with quiet wrath. "If you ever dare hurt what is precious to me, I will be your worst enemy. You will never, ever hurt them. I will never use your powers. I will lock you up into a prison. If I have to, _I will find a way to destroy you_."

Mr Rumble's eyes narrowed. The mindscape was still wobbling. There was a moment of quiet tension. "Look behind you," the devil said quietly.

Luffy paused. Then, slowly, he turned around. He was standing at the corner of the cavern, back to the brown stones walls, and he had never realised what was behind him. He never saw the writing. Luffy frowned as he glared at the three figures painted crudely in long, bold strokes over the wall.

It read:

'**5 4 0**'

There was a pause. Those three numbers seemed so out of place on the otherwise blank walls.

"I didn't write that," Mr Rumble explained simply. "It was already there when I got here."

Five-four-zero. Luffy stared at the three numbers for a few quiet minutes. There was something so… _off_ about the writing. "What does it mean?" He asked finally.

Rumble Rumble grinned. "Hmm…" he mused, eyes glistening. "Well… I suppose you could call it… a countdown."

The statement hung in the air. Luffy frowned but didn't reply. The room started to crack and then suddenly he was falling upwards into the abyss…

* * *

"Luffy!" A sharp voice yelled, shaking his shoulder. "Luffy! Wake up!"

His eyes flickered open, blinking madly. It took him a while to process his surroundings, but he was back in his room, lying in his bed. He was staring upwards at a face framed in bright orange hair, and wide eyes.

"Nami?" He groaned weakly, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"Hey," Nami said softly. Her hand was resting on his shoulder. "You've been asleep for a while. Sanji is making dinner."

He blinked, before nodding dumbly. Nami glanced around, making sure no one was around, before dropping down to kiss him gently. Her lips felt so soft and warm as they pressed against his; it was still such a novel, unfamiliar sensation.

And it still took his breath away.

Nami's hair stung his eyes as she pulled away. He was still breathing deeply. "You alright?" Nami asked gently.

Just for a second, Luffy faltered. He hesitated for half a second, and then replied, "Yeah." He grinned. "I'm fine. Let's go to dinner."

They walked hand in hand up towards the deck. Luffy felt the tension drop off his shoulders as his world was filled with the familiar, comforting bicker from his friends. It was almost enough to clear his mind.

_I will protect you_, Luffy vowed silently as he walked into the room, still feeling the lightning rumble inside.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Come on!" Usopp screamed eagerly, clutching the thrashing fishing pole determinedly. "Get in here!"

The fish wasn't a Sea King, but it was still large even by Grand Line standards. Usopp could only just make out the shimmer of bright orange scales in the thrashing water. The whole ship shuddered as the fish fought ferociously, and if wasn't for the Dial-propulsion then the Going Merry might have capsized. Usopp's toad form was big, heavy and strong, but still his muscles ached as he struggled to pull the fish in.

The wooden planks underfoot groaned in protest. Usopp suddenly released that his catch was more like a shark. "Come on!" Usopp bellowed, his voice croaking as it broke. "Come on!"

Next to him, Conis and Aisa were draped over the side, watching the struggle eagerly. They were both laughing and cheering Usopp on as he tried to heave the wrestling fish inwards. At the other side of the deck, Zoro and Wiper were hunched in the corner, still duelling and training.

"You can do it!" Aisa cheered happily. Usopp was struggling so much his green toad skin was slowly turning red. "Go on, toad power!"

The fishing rod creaked dangerously. "You need a hand?" Zoro offered curiously.

"Never!" Usopp screeched loudly, eyes bulging. "I am the brave Captain Usopp, champion fisher! No fish can equal me!"

His webbed foot slipped. Suddenly, he was yanked towards the ledge and nearly fell into the water. Even as he fish threatened to drag him over, Usopp never stopped bragging. "Why, I've triumphed over fish twice this size!" Usopp squealed, despite the panic seeping into his voice. "No! Three times! This fish is noth – Awk! I'm alright, I'm alright! I'm alri–"

With a groan, Wiper rolled his eyes and staggered to his feet. He walked towards the edge of the ship, and casually stuck his bazooka out over the ledge, pointed it into the water, and pulled the trigger. The explosion sent a shower of bloody water scattering everywhere, and suddenly Usopp felt any resistance from the fishing rod disappear.

The toad stared at Wiper in shock. The raider just nonchalantly sat back down, cleaning the nozzle of his bazooka.

"No fair!" Usopp protested. "You can't use a bazooka when fishing."

Wiper shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

With an annoyed grumble, Usopp slowly started to reel the giant fish out of the water. It looked like a giant goldfish, minus a bloody hole through its chest caused by the sudden cannonball. Usopp looked irritated as he heaved up the mess, but doubtlessly Sanji would still be able to cook it brilliantly.

"Say, Conis," Usopp asked curiously, glancing at the light blonde haired woman. "Why don't you just use your power to summon up bird for us to eat? We could have turkey everyday!"

Conis looked slightly shocked at the prospect. "I couldn't do that!" She objected. "What if the birds stop answering my call if we start _eating_ them?"

Inspiration struck Usopp. "But you could call that eagle back and have _him_ hunt fish for us, right?"

She blinked. "I guess…" She mumbled uncertainly. Still, Conis didn't seem as uncomfortable as she had been when she had first joined. She was still learning more and more about her powers every day, calling birds of all different shapes.

The Skypiean had definitely grown more confident. She had been laughing more too, and slowly settling into the hectic lifestyle on the ship. The other day, during tea, she had even raised a toast to her father, the first time she had mentioned Pagaya out loud since his pace. Between sparring and training with the crew, she was becoming stronger and more self-assured quickly. Conis had recently taken to keeping a belt of Axe Dials, originally belonging to Yama, around her waist at all times.

Conis' scars from that battle were already barely visible and fading quickly. Her left wing, however, had been severed and was still a twist stub compared to the right. Curiously, Usopp recalled how she had briefly mentioned that she was debating having both her wings removed, just for convenience.

Aisa and Conis both tried to help as Usopp tied his catch securely to the side of the boat, but the toad was strong enough to do it by himself. A combination of Zoan strength, training, and frighteningly excessive eating had built up Usopp's muscles quickly. He was halfway through binding the fish to the deck when he heard Sanji emerge from the cabin.

"Cocktails!" The chef shouted happily, carrying a platter of drinks. "I have cocktails! Come get them while they're cool!"

Sanji grinned brightly as he handed one to Aisa, and then recited as a poem as presented one to a befuddled Conis. As Usopp tried to take one, he swatted his hand away before searching for Tashigi. Zoro just rolled his eyes.

Sanji paused as he realised he had two cocktails left. "Say," he said confusedly. "Where are Nami and Robin?"

Nobody replied. "You know, I haven't seen them around much recently," Zoro mused.

Conis shrugged. "Neither of them went to bed last night."

Sanji frowned, taking a deep breath of his cigarette. Usopp scratched his head in thought. "Come to think of it…" The toad mused quietly. "I'm not sure where Luffy is, either…"

The chef didn't reply. Sanji looked faintly suspicious as he marched back into the cabin. Usopp mused over the missing crewmates, before shrugging and returning to his fish.

Aisa was sitting over the ledge, pressing the fish with her foot curiously. The fish was so large that she could have run laps on its back. It was definitely enough to feed the crew for at least a day, considering how much they ate.

"Be careful," Usopp warned. He knew from experience how often caught fish could suddenly spasm and bite, even if they seemed obviously dead. "Don't get too close."

"Relax," Aisa said simply. "This guy is dead – I felt his presence disappear."

Usopp paused. "Wait, you can sense animals too?" He asked curiously.

She nodded. "Yep, it's not as clear though," Aisa explained. "Like, humans feel really sharp, but most animals are all foggy. It's harder to focus on them." She paused, feeling her surroundings via Mantra, before shrugging. "If I'm close enough it's fine, though."

"Huh," Usopp said, suddenly interested. He hesitated, before lowering his voice. "Say, what else could you sense?"

"Well, generally the bigger it is, the easier I can sense it. If I try _really_ hard I can even pick up insects." She shuddered, before adding, "I don't like trying really hard; you don't _want_ to know how many insects are around you."

"Could you sense… um… _other_ stuff as well?"

Aisa glanced at him confusedly. "Other stuff like what?"

Usopp croaked hesitantly. "… Um… you know… _different_ stuff?"

"Different from humans or animals?" She asked doubtfully.

Conis was standing nearby enough to hear the conversation. "What's going on?" She asked interestedly, causing Usopp to twinge.

"It's nothing," he said quickly, turning away, embarrassed. Aisa and Conis both stared at him. He paused for a while, before an idea occurred to him.

"Aisa?" Usopp asked slowly. "Could you please count how many people are on this ship right now?"

"What?" Aisa pulled a face.

"Just count using your Mantra," Usopp explained. "Humans and animals. I want to know how many there are. Please?"

She frowned. "It's just the same as always. Nobody's came or left," she explained. "I would have sensed that."

"I know, but could you please just do it anyways?" Usopp begged.

Confusedly and slightly grudgingly, Aisa closed her eyes and seemed to focus. She was quiet for nearly thirty seconds. Both Conis and Usopp stared at her as the girl concentrated.

Finally, she opened her eyes. "Alright, _fine_," she said, folding her arms. "There are fourteen."

Usopp paused, frowned and then began to count on webbed fingers. Luffy. Zoro. Nami. Him. Sanji. Chopper. Vivi. Carue. Robin. Conis. Wiper. Aisa. Tashigi.

"Fourteen," Usopp repeated slowly. "Are you sure?"

"'Course," Aisa said irritably.

There was a moment of quiet. Usopp recounted, just to be sure. He held up his fingers slowly. "But there should only be thirteen…"

She paused. Aisa opened her mouth, frowned, and then closed her eyes concentrate again. Conis looked confused. "Do we have a stowaway?" Conis asked worriedly, before glancing at Aisa. "_Again?_"

Usopp didn't reply. Slowly, Aisa opened her eyes. "Now that's _weird…"_ She muttered in quiet confusion. "There are fourteen. I can feel fourteen different presences, I just… I just can't tell who fourteenth is…"

"Human or animal?" Usopp asked urgently.

She shook her head. "No, it's not…" Aisa paused, trying to think how to explain a sensation in her mind. Most presences had an aura, with texture, personality and strength. This presence felt more… well, it didn't feel like anything. It was just a feeling. She must have felt it a thousand times and never paid it any attention, because it had always just been there, in the background. "…It's not anything…"

Usopp blinked. "Can you feel where it's coming from?"

Aisa was beginning to look more and more disturbed. She stepped backwards slowly, glancing around the ship. The more she tried to focus on it, the more distinct it became. "It's… it's…" Aisa gulped. "…It feels like it's _everywhere_…"

Perhaps it was Usopp's imagination, but at that moment the mast seemed creak slightly in very little wind.

Aisa's eyes were wide with panic. Conis glanced around. "Should I alert the crew?" She asked in a whisper. Zoro and Wiper were still sitting behind them, unaware of the conversation.

Usopp shook his head. "No, I… I don't think it's harmful." He twitched slightly, before turning back towards Aisa "Are you _sure_ that you can't feel where it's coming from?" He pressed gently.

Aisa hesitated for a long time. Her eyes were glazed; staring into empty air as she focused on a sense that no one else could sense. Eventually, she spoke. "It feels… kind of like…"she murmured slowly. "… That's it's strongest in _this_ direction…"

Cautiously, she started to move. Conis and Usopp glanced at each other, before following slowly. Usopp shifted into his human form as Aisa led them below deck. Several times, Aisa had to stop, concentrate and reverse direction as she wandered, seemingly aimlessly, below deck. It wasn't a big ship; eventually it seemed like they were going round in circles.

For several long minutes, nobody spoke. "It's trying to avoid us…" Usopp muttered under his breath with realisation. Maybe some creatures could sense when you sensed them.

Conis glanced at him. "What is?" She asked in a quiet whisper.

Usopp paused. "It… um…" He gulped. "Have you ever… _felt_ like there was something else on the ship? Something out the corner of your eye? Little things moving when no one's looking? Just sometimes, it kind of feels, like someone else is there…"

Conis didn't reply quickly. The memory of little figure in a yellow coat flashed through her mind. She had never been sure whether that was real or just a hallucination. A hallucination that had saved her life. From the very first time she had stepped on the Going Merry, she had been sure that this was a very good ship.

"Uh, yeah," Conis said lamely, not quite sure what else to say. She had never told anyone about that. "I mean, I'm not sure but I kind of I think so…"

Usopp nodded. He had never told anyone about what he saw in the knock-up stream either. "Yeah, I kind of think so too."

"You think this ship is haunted?"

He pursed his lips. "Haunted isn't the word I would use…" He mumbled under his breath.

Finally, Aisa came to a halt. She paused at the boundary of the storage room, looking around at the piles of crates, boxes and cannons. It looked completely normal. "It's in here," she muttered, still concentrating hard.

"You sure?" Conis asked curiously. Aisa just nodded. Cautiously, they all stepped inside.

Usopp slowly closed the door behind them.

_I can feel it too_, Usopp realised suddenly. It was just a… presence. _Even before I knew what I was feeling, I could feel it too. _

For a long time, the three of them stood in silence. The air seemed to shift uncomfortably. Aisa stood by the door, making sure that nothing left the room.

"What do we do now?" Conis asked finally.

It was a while before Usopp answered that question. He stood perfectly still, thinking intently.

_Whatever _it_ was, the only thing that I'm absolutely certain about is that it wants to protect us_.

"Now…" Usopp murmured carefully, as he slowly drew a box of matches from his overalls. "… Now I think we've got to draw it out…"

With agonisingly slowness and trembling hands, he cautiously drew a match and lit it on a wooden plank. The small flame flickered in the still air. Usopp kept it covered as he walked towards across the room, before carefully lifting the lid of a small barrel. The barrel was filled with black powder.

Conis gasped as she realised suddenly what he was intending. "Usopp!" She said with sudden panic. "That's gunpowder!"

He nodded. "Yep," he muttered, gulping. "Like I said… draw it out…"

Before anyone could respond, Usopp suddenly let go of the match. The burning splinter of wood dropped into the gunpowder.

Time froze. Hearts stopped.

And, then, they all felt the sudden breath of air that instantly extinguished the match before it hit the barrel.

Usopp almost collapsed in shock as the tiny flame flickered out instantly. There was a moment of stunned silence.

"_Don't do that!_" A sudden, high-pitched voice shouted loudly. The voice was trembling with anger and hurt. "_Don't you _ever_ do that again!_"

Usopp froze. Conis' mouth dropped open. Aisa's eyes widened. In an instant, there was a small figure standing directly behind Usopp. Usopp knew without looking that the figure was a small child wearing a yellow overcoat.

Usopp gulped, and slowly turned around. "Hey there," he murmured weakly.

The little figure was shaking. Its face was hidden by the hood, but it looked like it was crying. "_How could you?!_" The figure demanded, voice breaking between sobs. "_How could you risk everything on… on a hunch?_"

Usopp's mouth stopped working for a while. "I didn't," he muttered dumbly, motioning to the barrel of gunpowder. "I accidently dropped this barrel in the sea when we were loading it up. The water got to it – it could never have ignited. Nami would have killed me if she found out so I just didn't tell anyone…"

His voice trailed off. Even despite the hood, he could tell that the figure's mouth must have dropped open. There was a brief awkward silence, and then, as sudden as it had appeared, the yellow figure disappeared with a sound. Usopp's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait!" He screamed to the suddenly empty room. "Wait! Don't go! I know you're there, I just want to talk! Please, could we just talk for a bit?"

There was a pause. Then, they heard a disembodied voice murmur quietly, "_I can't_." Another pause. "_It's against the rules_."

"Please," Usopp pleaded, glancing around the room. "We're friends, aren't we? Friends should talk to each other."

There was another pause, longer than the others. After nearly thirty seconds, Usopp gasped as yellow figure suddenly appeared in the corner of the room, materialising into view without a sound. Usopp had to blink repeatedly to focus, his head spinning with questions.

"Umm… Thank you…" He muttered eventually. The figure looked nervous, constantly twitching. Usopp really wished he could see its face, or read its expression. "…Uh… How long have you been here?"

A pause. "_Since the beginning._" The voice was quiet and gentle, but almost eerily soft.

"You saved my life in Skypiea," Conis said, awestruck. Aisa was next to her, eyes wide and speechless.

"You saved everyone's life," Usopp clarified. "We'd never have made it up to Skypiea without you We'd never have made it out without you."

The figure shifted, and glanced down at its feet. It was wearing green wellies. "_I just wanted to help_," it muttered timidly.

There were so many questions that Usopp could barely process them. Finally, he focused on the obvious one. "I'm sorry," he stammered, quietly not to spook it. "I don't know what to call you."

"_Names are… difficult_," it replied softly. "_I am… I think your term is a Klabautermann. A water fairy_."

"A water fairy," Usopp repeated slowly. "I thought you were the spirit of the Going Merry."

"_I… in a sense, I am_," the reply was cautious. "_The Going Merry has her own personality. She takes her spirit from those that care for her. I was just drifting over the waves when I felt the Merry. She seemed so… happy, I wanted to keep her happy. I want to help her carry you_."

Usopp frowned. "So… what about you?"

"_Think of it like a hermit crab, moving between shells. My kind moves between ships as we travel. But right now I belong to the Merry. She shelters me, she sustains me with her energy, and so I… I want her to be happy_."

"Oh," Usopp's brain felt numb, but there was one thought that seemed to push its way to the forefront. "Is she happy now?"

The voice changed. Usopp suspected that the figure was grinning brightly as it replied. "_Yes. Very much so._"

That caused to grin too. Timidly, Conis spoke up. "You were afraid to show yourself," she asked gently. "Why was that?"

With a flicker of doubt, the figure extended a gloved hand and slowly swiped forward. The fingers phased straight through a nearby crate. "_I am not flesh and blood. I didn't want to…_" A pause. "_I need to channel the Merry's energy to survive. Appearing like this, it's tiring. I can interact physically when I need to, but my powers are limited. The Merry is an energetic ship but still…_" The hood glanced at Usopp. "_Last time, to survive the knock-up stream, it cost me so, so, so much. I used so much energy there was barely anything left. I have to limit my exertions_."

Usopp's eyes widened. There was genuine pain in the voice. "_My kind and yours are not meant to interact_," it continued, before adding. "_But I did want to talk to you. The Merry cares for you deeply, and I… I care for you too…_"

Around them, the ship seemed to creak slightly. All ships creaked and groaned between the wind and the waves, but after being on-board for so long, it was hard not to imagine that there was some sort of personality embedded somewhere in the planks of wood.

Perhaps it was just the crew projecting themselves onto the ship.

Perhaps that was enough.

"Huh," Usopp said with a gulp. His hand rested against the wall almost tenderly. He stared at the yellow figure and slowly realised that something was bugging him. "I'm sorry, I'm just wondering… that hood… is there a reason you're hiding your face from us?"

There was a timid pause. Usopp hesitated. "Um…" He asked cautiously. "…Do you have a face?"

Even if he couldn't see it, Usopp was absolutely certain that eyes were rolled at that question. "_Of course I have a face_," the figure answered, matter-of-factly. "_But… well…_" A slight pause. "_I take my form from the ship. And the ship takes its form from its owners_."

It took a while to try and decipher the statement. "So you… take your form from the owners…?" He frowned. "You mean _we_ decide what you look like?"

"_No_," the answer was soft, barely audible. "_Not _you."

Slowly, the figure pulled back the hood. Conis and Aisa stared confusedly. Usopp nearly collapsed from shock.

Even though Usopp had never seen that face before, he recognised it instantly.

It was the face of a six-year old girl, with wide dark eyes, short blond hair, extremely pale cheeks with a round face and timid quiver in her bottom lip. She smiled nervously.

"Hey, Usopp," the Klabautermann muttered.

His eyes bulged. Usopp was more accustomed to seeing the adult version of that face, but he could still distinctly recognise her as a child. His throat nearly jammed.

"…K…K… _Kaya_?!"

* * *

_Three hours later..._

Dinner that evening was one of the most awkward ones that the crew had ever had. It wasn't every day that someone had to explain that there was a friendly, disembodied water fairy current inhabiting and acting as a manifestation of their vessel. It required a lot of alcohol in order for everyone to come to terms with the concept.

Usopp, with the help of Conis and Aisa, had to start by retelling what the spirit had told them; how it had all began.

Years ago, the Klabautermann had been hovering over calm waves, left adrift after its previous vessel had been neglected. Then, it encountered a small sailing ship in a leisurely cruise, and there had been a connection.

At the time, the Going Merry had been owned by Kaya, when she was a girl. The young heiress had been poorly, but not so sickly as she would later became, and sailing was one of her few pastimes that she could enjoy. And Kaya had been lonely; very, very lonely.

Kaya would often go out with her servant, Merry. Merry was the one who designed, built, maintained and sailed the Going Merry, but it had been Kaya that gave the ship personality. For a long time, the Going Merry had been Kaya's release, her only source of pleasure and freedom, and her best-friend. Kaya had been a lonely child dreaming of a sister, someone her age to play with, to go on adventures together, and as the Klabautermann attached itself to the spirit of the ship, it was those dreams that ended up shaping the water fairy.

That was how the Klabautermann ended up manifesting itself as a young Kaya's almost identical doppelganger; a young girl exploring the world in a beloved ship, in a child's yellow overcoat, green wellies, and a toy wooden hammer, ready for adventure.

Years later, Kaya ended up growing up. The Klabautermann never did.

So long as the Going Merry was still being cared for and maintained (and it was, by Merry, quite diligently), the Klabautermann stayed attached. Those memories of that little girl never faded, even if no one else really found use for the vessel.

That lasted for a while, right up until the moment when four pirates took the Going Merry and made her their pirate ship, and the Klabautermann found a new family.

What followed next was the best time of Going Merry's life. It was exhausting, damaging, often reckless, but it was an adventure and it was exactly what the Klabautermann, and the ship, had been dreaming about for all those years.

The Going Merry was loved and cared for and never happier, while the Klabautermann stayed in the background, watching and caring for the crew in the same way.

By the time he was finished with the story, Usopp had to discreetly place his goggles on so no one could see the tears.

"So basically…" Nami said eventually, a long time after he had finished. "What you're saying is that there is a supernatural fairy, in the shape of your old crush, currently inhabiting and/or possessing our ship, and that it wants to go on adventures together."

Usopp took a long gulp of ale. "Well, when you say it like that it sounds silly…" He mumbled into his glass.

"Oh," Nami paused to think about it for a while. "You know, it says a lot about my life that that's _not_ the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"So this… Klabautermann …" Vivi asked cautiously. "Is she watching us right now?"

Usopp shrugged. "I guess." There was a long pause as everyone glanced around the room. "But I think she's exhausted. It took a lot of energy for her to talk to us like that," he added.

Everyone around the table still shifted slightly uncomfortably. "I don't think she means us any harm," Aisa offered. "She's always been there, but..." Aisa paused, struggling to find a way to phrase it. "...she was just so _there_ that I just didn't notice her," she said finally.

Vivi frowned, glancing to Luffy. "What about you, Luffy?" She asked. "Can you sense the Klabautermann too?"

The captain paused, concentrated but then shook his head. "Nope," he said with a shrug. "But Aisa is much more sensitive than I am."

"I think that I kind of sensed her," Usopp said nervously. "I just wasn't sure what I was sensing."

"Does that mean you have Mantra too?" Zoro asked sharply. The sharpshooter just shrugged, and Zoro cast a glance towards Luffy. So far, their lessons on Haki had been a complete waste of time, but Zoro _refused_ to ever let _Usopp_ exceed him. _I need to refocus my efforts_, Zoro thought firmly.

"I've heard the legend of Klabautermann before," Robin admitted, looking up from her book. "But I never knew that it was real. Apparently, they don't reveal themselves very often at all. I've never even heard of a first-hand encounter before."

"So then, what do we do about it?" Wiper demanded, glancing around the table.

Usopp was about to protest at his tone, but Conis beat him to it. "She's not a threat!" Conis objected. "She just wants to look after the ship."

"I don't want some mystical fairy spying on me," Wiper growled.

"Conis is right," Luffy said suddenly, in a voice that left no room for argument. There was barely a flicker in his eyes. "There's nothing to do. The Klabautermann was here first, she has only ever helped us, and so we should be thanking her."

Usopp nodded firmly in agreement. Everyone else around the table murmured agreements.

"One other thing," Vivi asked curiously. "This Klabautermann, does she have a name?"

Usopp hesitated. Conis shook her head. "I don't think so," Conis admitted. "Maybe water fairies don't use names?"

"We should name her then," Chopper suggested, squeaky voice ringing excitedly. "Everyone deserves a name."

"Alright then," Vivi agreed. "What do you want to call her?"

Strangely, all eyes turned to look at Usopp. The marksman hesitated, thinking deeply. He had never really known Kaya as a child, but the Klabautermann's face still got to him. It was unsettling how familiar it was. "Um… I…" Usopp muttered sheepishly. "I quite like the name Klara."

There was a pause. Nami nodded. "Klara is a good name."

The others nodded. "Alright then," Luffy agreed, before standing up. He walked into the middle of the room, and bowed his head deeply. He took a deep breath, and then proclaimed loudly. "Thank you very much, Klara, for keeping the Going Merry safe!"

Everyone stopped to listen. Perhaps it was their imaginations, but the ship did seem to creak just a bit louder with the statement.

Eventually, Nami just sighed. "Alright then, apparently we've got a haunted ship," she said tiredly. "Is there anything else?"

"Just one more thing," Usopp said reluctantly. "It's something else that she said…" He gulped quietly. "We've got a problem with the Going Merry."

Nami's eyes narrowed. Luffy turned around to face him. "What sort of problem?"

The words felt painful even as Usopp said them. "The Going Merry is damaged," he admitted finally. "Badly damaged."

Luffy looked confused. Wiper just nodded. "It's the keel, isn't it?" The raider noted.

Usopp glanced at him. "You knew?!"

"I saw it when you were fixing it up." Wiper shrugged. "I've destroyed enough ships to recognise damage when I see it."

"The keel…" Vivi muttered, glancing between them. Conis was staying conspicuously quiet. "You mean the backbone of the ship? Is it bad?"

Usopp gulped. "If it wasn't for Conis' Dial upgrades, I don't think she would have ever lasted this long."

Luffy dropped back down into his chair. "Well, we can fix it then," Luffy said firmly. "We've got the money; we'll get some professionals to fix her up."

Usopp and Conis shared a glance. Solemnly, Conis shook her head. "I don't think it is repairable," Usopp confessed, staring firmly at the table. "Not this time…"

The captain looked confused. Usopp looked absolutely despondent, but he forced the words out anyways. "I think we're going to have to get another ship fairly soon."

There was a pause at that statement. "What?!" Nami demanded. "But you just said that the Klabautermann was really happy–"

"I know!" Usopp snapped, eyes wide and miserable. "But it was something that the Klab… that Klara told me. She said that the Going Merry was in _pain_! Believe me, I really don't want to have to do this, I didn't have the heart to face it before it, but it made me realise that if I really cared for the ship, I couldn't just let her sail on when she was injured."

Carefully, Conis spoke up. "The Going Merry was never built for these kinds of waters," she explained. "And she has already taken a lot of damage… Right now, the ship is barely being held together. Even if we got a full-time shipwright, well, I don't know how long it would be before it just collapsed."

"But… but… what about the Klabautermann?" Nami demanded.

"She knows," Usopp muttered with a miserable nod. "She knows more than anyone that the Going Merry isn't going to last. I think that might have been why she revealed herself, just to make sure we knew that. If the Going Merry sinks, then nothing would hurt her more than seeing the ship failing at her duty. Maybe it's kinder to be dismantled safely than to sink at sea…"

The statement was met by a stunned silence. Robin looked at Usopp curiously. "You're taking this news rather well, Mr Marksman," the archaeologist noted curiously.

Usopp just shook his head. "Oh, trust me, I'm not," he said hollowly. His hands were shaking. "I've just been thinking about it for a while now. It was only after meeting Klara that I realised that I care about this ship too much to be selfish about it. I can't let the Going Merry suffer…"

Luffy blinked repeatedly. The whole mood was suddenly sombre. Luffy looked between Usopp and Conis carefully. Slowly, the captain nodded. "If that's what we need to do," he muttered carefully. "Then I guess we need to think about getting a new ship."

The conversation lasted long after the meal had ended. It was a miserable affair, similar to talking about replacing a family member, but they ended up discussing everything from how long the Going Merry would likely last, to what type of ship they should look for. The weight of the Going Merry's upcoming demise hung over the table like a weight.

It was dark by the time they ran out of things to say, and slowly started to file out of the room. Usopp's shoulders were slumped as he trudged miserably below deck, right up until the moment when Nami grabbed him firmly by the arm and dragged him to one side.

"Usopp?" She said with a venomously kind smile. Her grip was tight. "Come with me for a moment."

There was no room for argument as Nami dragged him through the ship. She pulled him straight into the storage, slammed the door behind them, and then pointed firmly at the barrel of gunpowder. Usopp just looked confused at Nami's pointed glared.

"I told you Nami," he protested, recalling his previous gamble with the lit match. "I couldn't have actually blown the ship up; it was just a bluff. That gunpowder is completely inert–"

"I _knew_ you dropped the barrel into the ocean," Nami hissed angrily, hand on hip. "I absolutely bloody _knew_ it! That was why, back in Jaya, I had the contents completely replaced! _This _gunpowder is_ live!_"

Usopp's bottom jaw nearly hit the ground.

He spent the next hour apologising profusely to the ship.

* * *

_The next morning…_

"Wow, you're getting good," Luffy laughed, narrowly sidestepping a blade of sand. Even if he could predict the attack, it was still close.

"Thanks," Vivi said meekly, just before disappearing into the sandstorm and attacking from the opposite direction with a flurry of sand blades. Luffy danced around the blows easily, before lashing out with a light backhanded blow. Vivi still instinctively expected the fist to phase through, but this one was Haki-infused. The princess was sent reeling in surprise as Luffy knocked her to the ground.

"Ouch!" Vivi groaned, rubbing her chest in pain. It had been a soft blow, but everything involving Haki seemed to pack more impact than should do normally.

Luffy grimaced. "Sorry," he said with a wince. "You alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Just caught me off-guard." She dropped into a fighting stance, just as the sand started to swirl between her fingers. "Let's keep sparring."

It was an easy spar, more like a dance than any sort of competition. Surprisingly, Vivi was the more aggressive, lashing out with whips and hail of sand while Luffy dodged agilely between each blow. With his still novice Haki, it was a challenge for him just to avoid each attack.

Things between him and Vivi had definitely became easier, at least on the surface. Nami had made her peace with the princess, and she had confided to Luffy that Vivi had feelings for him too. Slowly, Luffy was dimly becoming aware that the way Vivi would smile, or play with him, was actually _flirting_. The revelation was vaguely terrifying, but he had always got on well with Vivi and that hadn't changed. It had just become more comfortable to spent time with her, now that he was at least aware of the elephant in the room.

Sooner or later, Luffy knew that they would both have to acknowledge that elephant out loud. That was a problem looming over the horizon that made Luffy's stomach clench. In the meantime, it had just become easier to be with her, even as he tried to figure out his increasingly complicated friendship.

_No_, Luffy corrected himself mentally. _Friendship was always simple. It was everything _else_ that makes my head hurt._

His fleeting relationship with Nami and Robin was still confusing him. In some ways, it was exactly the same as it was before. He spent time reading with Robin, or watching Nami draw maps, or even just idly talking with them. The biggest difference, so far, was that now instead of talking or watching, there was also kissing and feeling included. Luffy had no idea if that was normal, or if there was something else expected from him.

Not for the first time, Luffy wished that there was instruction manual attached with being a boyfriend. And normally Luffy hated reading instructions.

And, then, just to make things even more complicated, he had Vivi to care about. Nami had suggested, quite firmly, that he should confront Vivi about their relationship, but there had been an unspoken agreement between him and Nami that she would accept it if a relationship developed between him and Vivi too.

The complexity of that dilemma was enough to make Luffy's brain boil.

Overall, he was starting to feel like a monkey that had been given a hammer and was now expected to build a bridge.

"Are you alright?" Vivi asked curiously, pulling Luffy out of his daydreams. Luffy forced a grin.

"Yeah." He launched a slow spinning kick, which Vivi easily dodged. "I'm fine."

More and more, Luffy was beginning to notice how absolutely, stunningly attractive Vivi was. He had always known she was beautiful, of course, but now he found his gaze lingering on the suppleness of her breasts, or looking over her legs, or even just becoming mesmerised by the way she swung her hips. It made him uncomfortable thinking like that about a friend. It felt like a problem.

"Say," Vivi asked curiously, after Luffy caught a whip of sand on the shoulder. He didn't phase through it. "Why aren't you using your lightning powers? You haven't used your Devil fruit at all."

Ah yes. And that was the _other_ problem.

Luffy cleared his throat and hesitated. "Um… Er…" There was a momentarily pained expression. The image of Mr Rumble had been haunting every time he closed his eyes. "… I'm trying to train with Haki, instead," Luffy replied finally. It wasn't a complete lie. He was surprised when Vivi seemed to accept the answer without pushing further.

Luffy had always thought he was a terrible liar.

_I really, really miss that time when my life wasn't so complicated_.

Around him, the deck was crowded. Zoro and Tashigi were sparring together, while Robin was helping Chopper and Aisa as they tried to document everything they knew about the Klabautermann. Wiper was sitting cross-legged on the top of the roof, currently assembling a large cannon. Conis and Usopp were presumably working on the Dials below deck.

The ship just felt comfortable. For a while, Luffy could just dance with Vivi, feeling any worries disappear in the company of his friends.

About an hour later, just as they were all starting to rest for lunch, Aisa stopped suddenly. The girl's eyes widened in shock and she jumped up quickly.

"…Er… Luffy?!" She shouted at the captain. "We've got company. There's another ship, over in that direction, heading straight for us!"

The whole crew turned towards where she was pointing. The sky was clear and the wind was constant and favourable. They all squinted as they looked over the horizon.

"I don't see anything," Vivi said finally.

"It's there," Aisa replied firmly, folding her arms. "A big ship too. At least five hundred people on-board, and it's getting closer quickly."

It was about ten minutes later when Usopp, through a pair of binoculars on top of the crow's nest, reported that he could _just_ see the outline of a set of masts in the distance. After that, the incoming vessel came into view more quickly.

Later, Tashigi went to fetch a large book filled with loose papers and reports, staring at the ship and it's identification as she flipped through the pages. Eventually, she came to a halt and pointed firmly down at the page.

"I found it," she said firmly, as the crew crowded around to see. Nami pushed her way to the front. "That ship is definitely the _Mary Elizabeth_, which makes them the West Viper Brigade."

"Pirates?" Nami asked urgently.

She shook her head. "No," Tashigi replied. "They're _privateers_."

"Damn."

Luffy looked confused. He wasn't the only one. "What's the difference?" Zoro asked uncertainly.

"Privateers are essentially pirates that don't commit any obvious acts of piracy," Nami explained. "They avoid bounties and they get official sponsorship. They're basically pirates with a badge."

Zoro frowned. Tashigi glanced at him as she clarified. "They don't technically break the rules, but they're still often nasty. They can hunt pirate ships, for instance, because pirates don't have any protection, but they'll avoid merchant vessels, at least if anyone is watching," Tashigi explained sourly. "Afterwards, a privateer can sail into an official port and sell its cargo through official channels. Privateers do a lot of dubious activities, but so long as they don't cross the line then the Marines won't usually bother them."

"Wow, you Marines really are upstanding pillars of law and order," Zoro commented dryly.

"Hey, I said 'usually'," Tashigi protested defensively. "A lot of Marines don't like privateers either. Smoker made a point of searching every privateer vessel he came across, just because he could."

The West Viper Brigade drifted into focus gradually. It was a huge ship; a seven-mast galleon that was at least five times the size of the Going Merry. The galleon looked to be intersecting the Going Merry's path. It dragged through the water with slow, ominous dread.

As the scale of the vessel became clear, Luffy could feel Usopp begin to tremble in fear. Wiper casually loaded up his bazooka.

"So then…" Sanji muttered coolly, lighting his cigarette. "These privateer guys hunt pirates. We're pirates. Do we have a problem here?"

Tashigi glared at the ship for a long time, before glancing at Nami and shaking her head. "Nah. I don't think so," she said finally. Nami nodded in agreement.

"Look at it; that galleon is low in the water, it must already be fully loaded," Nami explained, pointing at the hull of the ship. "I reckon they're heading back to port already, they won't be bothered about another score. They must already know we're here, but they're not changing course or showing any colours. It looks like we're just going to pass each other by quietly."

"Besides, look at the _size_ of that ship compared to ours," Tashigi noted. "Their captain must know that they'd never be able to catch us if they were to pursue, so why bother? They're not going to waste time chasing a prize they'll never be able to outrun."

Everyone seemed to relax with those words. Slowly, people started to filter away. Nami cast a final glance to the huge galleon. "Let's keep an eye on it, just in case," she decided finally. "But I really don't think we have anything to worry about."

Usopp sighed in relief. Grumbling, Wiper unloaded his bazooka and returned to his work. Luffy was left leaning over the balcony, staring up at the West Viper Brigade, still creeping closer.

"It's probably for the best," Tashigi said conversationally towards Nami, glancing through her book. "Apparently the West Viper Brigade has a pretty nasty reputation. They've got a lot of heavy artillery and they've took down some pretty big names."

The ship was close enough that Luffy could see every detail on its hull. It was painted pitch black and blood red. The seven, huge masts towered into the sky. Two levels of cannon decks gleamed hungrily in the light, with hundreds of grey nozzles facing downwards. The figurehead showed a carved viper, poised to strike.

Slowly, Luffy scratched his head thoughtfully.

"So, what kind of things do they do?" Nami asked curiously, just within his earshot.

"Oh, it's pretty much standard," Tashigi read, flicking the page over. "Raiding, intimidation, contract hits. The West Viper Brigade has a bit of a speciality in slavery, though."

Luffy's gaze didn't leave the opposing galleon as crept by in front of them.

Slowly, the privateers intersected their path and started to move away from them. Luffy scratched his chin.

About thirty seconds later, Luffy straightened up, turned around to face his crew, and then smiled brightly.

"Hey, guys!" Luffy announced loudly. "I've just had a brilliant idea. Do you see that ship?"

Everybody stared at him. His grin widened. "_Let's take it_."

* * *

**Author Notes**

**As you may know, this fanfic actually has a TV Tropes page now. And I've got to admit, I'm actually really looking forward to seeing what's tagged on there after this chapter :)**

**Next time: I figured an action chapter was probably overdue - _'The Raid'_...**


	30. Chapter 30: The Raid

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: So long as I keep on taking my pills, I don't believe that I own One Piece.**

* * *

**Previously:**

**"Hey, guys!" Luffy announced loudly. "I've just had a brilliant idea. Do you see that ship?"**

**"_Let's take it_."**

* * *

**Chapter 30: The Raid**

* * *

"This is a really bad idea!" Usopp squealed frantically, as the Going Merry exploded into activity. "Really, really, _really_ bad!"

Nobody paid him much attention. The whole crew was out on deck, rushing around in all directions. The masts were unfurled and the wind was screaming as the ship lurched forward. The sound of the Jet Dials whirring on the bottom of the hull, pushed to maximum capacity, was deafening in the background. Usopp was nearly hyperventilating with panic. Luffy was practically bouncing up and down on the figurehead with excitement.

"Like horribly bad!" Usopp continued, hopping on the spot with panic. "Horribly, bloody, gorily and squishy bad!"

"We're _pirates_, Usopp!" Luffy shouted cheerfully, glancing behind him. "Raiding other ships kind of comes with the job description!"

Nami just glanced at the sharpshooter exasperatedly. "Why bother? You know you can't dissuade him when he gets like this," she sighed, motioning to Luffy. Still, there was just a hint of affection in her voice. Vivi glanced at Nami curiously.

"But look at the size of it!" Usopp protested. The closer they got, the more the galleon looked like iceberg than a ship. "We can't take something like that! It's too big!"

Zoro smirked. The swordsman looked almost hungry for battle. "I'm guessing it's about to get a lot smaller," he snarled, swords unsheathing in anticipation. His blades growled.

There was a grunt as Sanji and Chopper dragged more tension into the mast. Tashigi was everywhere, glaring at the West Viper Brigade ship analytically. "Actually, the aim here is to take the ship with as little damage as possible," Tashigi chided. Zoro sighed irritably. "Twist us more to starboard!" Tashigi ordered. "We've got to get behind their rudder before they turn upwind!"

Reluctantly, Zoro grabbed the helm and followed the order. "You know what you're doing here," Robin noted. The archaeologist was the only person who seemed completely and utterly relaxed with the whole situation.

"I've done it before," Tashigi admitted, before pausing. "Well… usually, I'm on the other side of this, but it's pretty much the same experience…"

"Brilliant," Nami nodded approvingly at Tashigi, folding her arms. Her Clima-Sword was hoisted over her back. "You can take the lead then. What's the plan?"

Luffy pouted. "Aww…" he groaned. "It's no fun if you go with a _plan_…"

Nobody paid him much attention. "Position is everything," Tashigi explained. "They've got the numbers and firepower advantage – it doesn't matter if how strong each of us is; if they destroy or cripple the Going Merry, then we're sitting ducks and they'll kill us before we even get close. Manoeuvrability and tactics decide everything. "

"Conis, how much more speed can we get out of the Dials?" Nami asked urgently. The Going Merry was very heavily loaded already, but the Dial propulsion still gave them an advantage with speed and agility. _Well, at least until the Dials ran out of charge_, Nami conceded with a hint of worry.

"A bit more," Conis replied, before adding. "But the faster we go, the quicker the energy will run out. Push it too far and we're in trouble."

"Let's keep it in reserve then," the navigator ordered. The galleon had a head start, but the Going Merry had the downstream and was gaining quickly. They were just close enough to hear the bellow of orders from the privateer's vessel; clearly their spotter had just noticed the pirates approaching.

"They're going to try and tack upwind now, but they're a big ship, it'll take a while," Tashigi explained. "They're going to want to position themselves deck side, blocking us off while we won't be able to sail against the wind. If they get the upwind position, we'll be directly in their line of fire and completely helpless. If that happens, we might have to circle around them, but by then they'll definitely have the upper hand."

Robin nodded. "And _then_ we'll all die," she agreed with morbid cheerfulness. Usopp's eyes bulged.

"So what do we do?" Vivi asked curiously.

"Simple, we get there first," Tashigi explained, motioning with her hands. "We come up behind them, avoid the main guns, and then we go for the rudder with _our_ cannons. If we damage their tail properly, it'll force them to abandon the tack, by which time we should be able to get a raiding party on deck. Once a raiding party is on-board, _we'll_ have the advantage, and they'll be forced into the defensive." Tashigi stared fixedly at the galleon. "Size isn't always an advantage in naval warfare if you play your cards right."

Sanji lit a cigarette. There was a distinct sound of cannonballs being loaded. "Well, we better sort out our hand right now," the chef announced. "We'll be in range of their rear guns in about five seconds."

As soon as he said it, there was the deafening boom of heavy cannons. The cannonball exploded in the water so close to the Going Merry that the whole ship rocked.

Usopp, Carue and Chopper were hugging each other and screaming in worry. Tashigi pulled the steering rod to the port, just as the second blast came so close it clipped the paintwork.

Wiper seemed completely relaxed as he stomped out on deck, carrying a huge object over his back, awkwardly dragging it through the doorway. The heavy, wrought iron cannon had been dismantled from its support and pulled up on to deck. The raider was weirdly calm as he heaved the tonnes of metal and gunpowder towards the front of the boat.

"I've got the cannon," Wiper announced, somewhat redundantly.

The heavy gun had only recently been reassembled. There were still the distinct marks from Wiper's modifications. It was misshapen, clunky and huge; but it still gleamed with intent. It looked like Wiper had literally ripped the old cannons into pieces, and then welded the pieces into something new, bigger, and nastier.

"Huh, so this is the new cannon," Vivi muttered in awe. Wiper dropped it with a resounding bang as he begun to mount it up. The weapon-master had spent a long time upgrading their weapons. A thought struck Vivi suddenly. "Um… have you tested it yet?"

"Nope," Wiper answered simply.

Even despite the surrounding explosions, there was a moment of awkwardness. Vivi stared at the cannon with worry. "But it will fire, right?" She asked urgently.

Wiper shrugged. "Sure." He paused. "Well, it'll fire _once_."

Tashigi turned to stare at him in shock. A lot of a pirate raid depended pretty heavily on having working cannons. "And what about _after_ once?" She demanded.

The raider looked almost sheepish. "It might explode."

"_Explode_!?"

He sighed. "It'll only explode a little!" Wiper protested, as if it were no big deal. "I'm still getting the kinks out."

They were so close the stink of adrenaline and gunpowder filled the air. Nami felt her hearts start to pound in her chest.

"What the hell sort of good is a cannon that can only shoot _once_?!" Nami demanded.

Musket-shots rung in the air. They were close enough that the privateers were gathering at the rear of the galleon, taking aim with long range rifles. The whole crew, minus Luffy, ducked for as the metal balls ricocheted around them.

"That depends," Wiper replied as he loaded up the cannon. He looked almost cheerful as the battle really started. "How good is your aim?"

* * *

Every cannon blast caused tidal waves that rocked the Going Merry to its core. The ship was practically bouncing from the waves as rocked closer and closer to the galleon, and into the line of fire of more and more guns. The stench of gunpowder was everywhere. Suddenly, the ocean was frantic with explosions, frenzied shouts, and the shrill pitch of Usopp squealing.

"Get inside!" Wiper bellowed loudly as he noticed Aisa crouching behind the railing. Bullets were bouncing of the deck from all directions, and the whole crew had to duck for cover as they ran across the ship.

Aisa looked at Wiper pleadingly. "But I want to help–" The girl tried to protest.

Wiper's voice left no room for argument. "_Get_. _Inside_," he growled, just before grabbing Aisa by the collar and throwing her into the cabin. "Stay down, stay safe," the raider ordered, eyes flashing with sudden concern, just before slamming the door shut. "Don't come out until it's over."

The deck was a frenzy of activity. "Starboard!" Nami shouted, while the Going Merry rocked over the waves. They had entered the riptide from the galleon, and it was so shaky that the crew was practically on all fours to keep balance. "Move to starboard now!"

Sanji screamed out an affirmative as he rushed for the steering pole, while both Chopper (in his Heavy point form) and Zoro were heaving the mast inwards to get every inch of speed out of the wind.

Another cannonball exploded metres away from the ship, bouncing of the waves. The impact was so close the Going Merry groaned with pain. "The Merry," Usopp exclaimed, eyes bright with worry. "They're hurting the Merry!"

So far, they had avoided any direct cannon hits, but there was no way to avoid all of the bullets from the privateer's rifles. The paintwork on the Going Merry was already battered and chipped, while ricocheting bullets were everywhere. The riflemen had awful accuracy, but there were enough of them shooting that it didn't matter.

Nami pursued her lips as she glanced up towards the Merry's mast. The sails were dotted with bullet holes already. Right now, their only saving grace was that the Merry was the faster boat, but every hole through the sails was a bit less wind that they could catch, and a bit less speed. If the sails were too badly damaged, they'd be dead in the water and sitting ducks for galleons cannons.

Tashigi glanced at her. The former marine was obviously having similar thoughts. "We've got to hurry!" Tashigi hissed. "Are we in range?"

"Let's find out," Nami said firmly, before glancing at their crew. The closer the Going Merry got, the bigger the advantage the smaller ship would have. "Come on! One last push!"

There was a boom of cannons again. Nami flinched as she glimpsed the sparks, but in an instant Luffy was there. The captain was hopping on mid-air over the prow of the ship, and with almost lazy grace he extended a fist, clad in black shadows, that slammed into the cannonball. The metal crunched before his knuckles and metal fragments smashed into the sea.

Luffy and Vivi were the only two that didn't have to worry about the constant gunfire, though it had taken Vivi a few minutes to realise that. Both of them were at the front of the prow, working to deflect any cannonballs that came too close while the bullets scattered through them.

_Luffy isn't even using his lightning_, Nami realised suddenly, but, then again, between his ability to walk on air and his Haki, the captain really didn't need his Devil fruit. He was dodging most bullets without phasing through them.

It was so loud that no one could even hear each other scream. The noises just blurred together into one thunderous roar. Zoro and Sanji were on top of the cabin, working to deflect any cannonballs that Luffy missed, while the rest of them ran around the ship. There was a loud cry, half croak and half squeal, and Nami turned to see Usopp morph into his huge toad form, round eyes bulging.

The sniper reared onto his hind legs, aiming with his slingshot. In the hands of the huge toad, the weapon looked more like a twig, but he managed to pull back the slingshot with more force than he had ever been able to do as a human.

"Stop hurting my ship!" Usopp bellowed, just before firing three bullets at once. Even the across this distance, Usopp never missed. There was a satisfying thud as three men on the galleon dropped to the ground. Recently, Usopp had taken to coating his ammunition in his own neurotoxin. No one hit by them would be getting up again anytime soon.

Nami grinned, impressed. "You've become braver, Usopp!" Nami shouted approvingly.

_I've gotten better at redirecting my terror_, Usopp tried to reply, but all that came out was a shrill gasp. Truth be told, Usopp was just as terrified as he had ever been. His whole body was trembling, but he still managed to move forward while somehow releasing a barrage of return fire. The memory of facing off against Berrit and Isaac was at the forefront of his mind, and somehow he managed to focus all of his fear into shooting faster and more accurately.

"Go for the cannon!" Tashigi ordered, as she glimpsed the galleon start to twisting. They were jibing upwind now, and things would go all sorts of wrong if the privateers managed to the get the upwind on them. "Take down the rudder!"

Nami and Tashigi rushed towards the cannon, while Usopp's kept the suppressing fire going. Everything was loaded; it took only a few seconds to twist the cannon firmly to the back of the boat. All of the Dials fastened on to the weapon started to hum as it readied itself.

A wave of doubt hit Nami. "Um…" Nami muttered, looking up to Tashigi for reassurance. "…This _will_ work, right?"

Tashigi sighed, and then just shrugged. "Hope so," she said simply, as she lit the fuse.

Towards the back of the Going Merry, Wiper glimpsed Chopper and Conis, both of them huddling for cover next to the block of gold. "Yeah…" Wiper advised, slowly putting his fingers in his ears. "I'd brace yourself if I were you…"

There was a cry of 'Fire in the hole' from Tashigi. The whole ship seemed to ready itself.

What happened next was hard to describe. Mostly because everyone involved suffered various degrees of concussion.

One second, the cannon clicked as the gunpowder ignited. The next, the whole world was spinning and the resulting shockwave cracked every bit of pottery within five hundred yards. Tashigi struggled to get bearing, just as the whole ship tilted up, recoiled backwards, and crashed into the ocean with a deafening boom.

Her head was spinning, but somewhere through the smoke and confusion Nami was sure she heard Wiper exclaim proudly, "_Goddamn_ I'm good at my job!"

The cannon had been left a twisted hunk of smoking wreckage, but galleon had suffered much, much worse. They had actually missed their target, but the damage was so wide that it didn't really matter. A gaping hole of wooden splinters and debris had been pierced straight through the back of ship's hull. The cannonball hadn't even stopped as it burst through the corner of the man-of-war and went out the other side.

Nami could have sworn that even the clouds in the sky looked like an impossibly fast cannonball had just shot through them.

There was a moment of stunned silence. The recoil had shattered the railing of the Going Merry. Nami blinked and suddenly realised that she and Tashigi had been protected from the debris by a sudden wall of sand.

There was pause as Nami glanced up at Vivi over them with wide, grateful eyes. Neither of them spoke.

"Remind me to punch Wiper later," Tashigi growled, brushing the splinters off her jacket as she staggered up.

"Agreed," Nami said firmly, clutching her Clima-Sword tightly. The privateers looked more stunned than anyone; their whole ship had been knocked off course and was suddenly helpless in the wind.

Tashigi recovered quickly. "Raiding party!" She yelled loudly. "Get ready! Let's take the fight to them!"

"Ready!" Wiper said bloodthirstily, loading up his bazooka.

"Ready!" Zoro growled, swords glinting.

"Ready!" Luffy shouted eagerly with a smirk as he cracked his knuckles.

Nami shook her head, pulling him out of air. "Luffy, you're staying behind."

The captain's mouth dropped open, his eyes widening in shock and hurt like a child who had just been told that Christmas was cancelled. "You're in reserve," Tashigi explained. "Our first priority is to protect the Going Merry, otherwise we could get stranded. You need to stay and keep this safe."

"Besides, the aim here is to take their ship with as _little_ damage as possible," Nami explained, casting a foul glance at Wiper. The raider never even looked sorry. "And Luffy, well, you're not really known for your moderation in battle."

The captain floundered helplessly as he tried to think of a counterargument. He failed. "Vivi," Nami asked the princess. "Do you want to take his place?"

Vivi nodded, patting Luffy reassuringly on the back with a comforting smile. "Alright."

"Conis!" Nami ordered. "We're going to need transport. Can you get that eagle back again?"

The blonde angel looked ghost pale with nerves, but she nodded and her eyes were resolute. Conis was wearing a vest covered in Dials, with her belt of Axe Dials around her waist. "Get grapples ready as well!" Tashigi advised. "We're going to need rope!"

The Going Merry was approaching portside from behind. The cannons were still firing, but Going Merry was sitting right in their blind spot now. They had position and the manoeuvrability, Nami reckoned she could hear the war cries as the West Viper Brigade prepared to repel raiders. Up close, the _Mary Elizabeth_ was a mountain of solid wood and weapons. _It was a hell of a ship_, she conceded. It was as big, if not bigger, than Don Krieg's old flagship.

There was a moment of pure tension as they rushed forward. Usopp never stopped shooting, his toad face bloated with extreme focus and nerves that resulted in pure, frenzied firing.

Tashigi's stomach clenched as she prepared for battle. She clutched her sword tightly, and then paused, glancing around at the crew. They were all inexperienced at fighting. "Remember the Pirate Laws," she said finally. "Let's do this properly."

Luffy frowned. "The Pirate Laws?"

"Rules of engagement," Nami explained. "Basically just fair play that most pirates agree to follow. Don't hurt medics and non-combatants, obey any parley, don't slaughter prisoners, that kind of thing."

"Don't take the enemies' food afterwards," Sanji added firmly.

"And the battle comes to a complete stop as soon as a captain surrenders," Tashigi explained, glancing towards Luffy. "As soon as the captain concedes, everything is over, the crew backs down and, from that point onwards, all survivors are under _our_ protection."

Luffy nodded, eyes firm. The galleon was looming in front of them. "Got it."

There was a boom as a hundred cannons were reloaded at once. Every pirate flinched as suddenly the privateer's let loose with a coordinated salvo. Luffy was off the ground and in the air in a second, catching three cannonballs in his hand and throwing them back.

The blast was like the ringing of a bell. Suddenly, the real battle was on.

A flying slash from Zoro cut two cannonballs out of the air. Robin was there in an instant, creating a mesh of hands to protect the sails. They managed to block just about all of them, but with sudden dread Nami glimpsed a cannonball slip by, straight towards the deck.

"Watch out!" The navigator shouted, pushing Conis to the ground, just as a large shadow covered them. Suddenly, Usopp was in front of them, his face bloated red, and his eyes narrowing.

"Toad Toad…!" Usopp bellowed, taking a deep breath. "…_Balloon!_"

In an instant, the giant toad inflated from powerful lungs as his whole body tripled in size. The cannonball slammed against a wall of flesh with a dull 'oomph', before recoiling off and dropping into the ocean. The air was forced out of Usopp's lungs as he deflated, clutching his chest with pain.

Luffy grinned at the move, eyes glinting with recognition. "Usopp!" He shouted happily. "You're copying me!"

"God that hurts," Usopp groaned, rubbing his chest. The sniper felt nearly delirious with pain, his heart racing and his arms twitching. "Oww…!"

"That reminds me – Usopp!" Chopper said urgently, rushing up to the sniper with a small pouch. There were bullets flying everywhere. "I've got your Rumble balls – toad variety. Remember, go easy on them."

"Rumble balls?" Sanji asked curiously, glancing away from the upcoming fight. "You can use Rumble balls now?"

Usopp grimaced. There was an exhilaration that he had never felt before as he grabbed the pouch from Chopper. The Toad Rumble balls were green and slightly larger than Chopper's normal variety. Usopp paused, feeling his head spinning with delirium.

"Don't know," Usopp admitted, just as he popped one of the Rumble balls into his mouth and bit down hard. "…Let's find out!"

The drug had one hell of a taste. He grimaced but the effects were instant. His whole body started to shift as Usopp focused on his legs.

"Hopping point!" Usopp bellowed, just as upper body shrunk and became more human-like, with his usual long nose emerging from a bloated face, but his toad legs grew in size and became more muscled. Usopp didn't even pause to think about it. "Toad Toad… Jump!"

The acceleration was instant. Before any of them could react, Usopp was suddenly sailing into the sky, jumping so high that he was looking down upon the galleon. Despite himself, a rough laugh burst through his lips as he kept on climbing higher. The rest of the crew cheered.

And then Usopp kept on sailing upwards even further, all the way over the privateer vessel. He glimpsed hundreds of eyes staring up at him as he leapt straight over the ship. Usopp stopped laughing suddenly.

"I did not think this through!" The toad screamed in panic. He was dropping now, and heading straight towards the ocean on the other side of the ship. "I did not think of this through I did not this throughIdidnotthinkthisthroughIdidnot – ARGH!"

Back on the Going Merry, their mouths dropped open as one. Wiper sighed, clicking his heels together as his Jet Skis burst into life. "_I'll_ go," Wiper muttered reluctantly, jumping off the side of the ship and the Jet Skis sent him skating across the air with two plumes of smoke.

Luffy blinked, and then recovered quickly. "Alright, let's go people!"

"Raiding party on me!" Tashigi bellowed. The hull of the galleon was metres away now, like a solid wall of thick wood. "Get the grapples ready!"

"Conis we need that eagle!" Nami said urgently, just as privateers with rifles appeared from above.

"Right!" Conis said, her voice breaking with panic. She took a deep breath to prepare herself before she yelled, but then a bullet bounced by her feet and her voice cracked. Instead of clear, shrill eagle's call, what came out was more guttural, deep and frenzied.

And then, in an instant, a dark shape appeared out of thin air. Conis only managed to glimpse blood-red eyes, black fur, and a mouth full of sharp, white teeth…

_Now that's not an eagle_, Conis thought with weird, detached shock. The wolf was bigger than a small house, growling murderously as it stared at the shooters with wild rage. Bullets bounced off its fur like pinpricks, but that only seemed to make the giant wolf angrier.

Conis gulped, and then shrugged. "Oh well," she muttered under her breath. "…_It'll do_…"

She grabbed a hold of the wolf's thick fur, and then the beast leapt upwards with fury. Sharp claws bit into the side of galleon as it climbed upwards, and then suddenly the panicked cries of dozens of privateers filled the sky as the monster wolf burst out onto the deck in a fit of primal rage. Conis was jumped off its back, a Dial in each hand, as she glimpsed around the huge ship. There were privateers everywhere, all of them clutching swords or rifles.

At the other side of the ship, men were taking pot-shots at Wiper as he skated nimbly through the air. The raider managed to catch Usopp by the leg before the sharpshooter fell into the water, and then somersaulted in mid-air and started to run back towards the galleon. Usopp felt a wave of gratitude hit him, but that dissipated quickly when he saw the evil smirk on Wiper's face.

Suddenly, Usopp realised that Wiper had no intention of putting him down gently.

"Nononono please don't–" Usopp squealed, just as the raider pulled his arm and threw Usopp bodily straight towards the privateers. He screamed madly as he tried to cover himself, but then he felt the effect of the Rumble ball and his body morphed. "_Ball point!_"

In an instant, Usopp expanded outwards, transforming into a toad so fat it was nearly spherical, with tiny arms protruding from a giant bloated body. Bullets bounced uselessly off his body as he hit the deck and rolled straight through a crowd of men, like a bowling bowl knocking down pins. Usopp left a trail of toxin sweating madly off his body, paralysing everyone he touched.

Wiper was laughing with berserker rage as he flew around the ship, bazooka flaring as he unleashed a flurry of precise blasts straight into the cannon deck, crippling the weapons one by one.

The sounds from the deck of the galleon already sounded like a warzone. The ships were rocking in the wind, already drifting apart. Vivi stared as she considered the jump.

"Well, guess it's my turn," the princess muttered, before glancing around. Carue was at the back of the deck, and currently the giant duck was doing his very best trying to hide behind the mast. "Carue!" Vivi called. "I need a lift up!"

The duck squealed, feathers trembling. Vivi just smiled. "Come on!" She shouted reassuringly, voice teasing. "There's bonus fish in it for you…!"

Carue gulped, but the thought of food was the push he needed. Large webbed feet raced across the Going Merry just as Carue jumped. His stubby wings were flapping madly as he landed against the hull of the galleon and somehow managed to keep on running straight upwards. Two men tried to stop the duck as he burst over the side of the ship, but Vivi sent them both flying with a wave of sand.

Vivi emerged just as Usopp transformed into his 'Tongue point', with a weirdly skinny body, webbed hands, but a bloated neck and mouth, and used his extra-long tongue to lift himself straight onto the top of the masts. Meanwhile, Wiper was carrying of two fully-grown men by the ankles, spinning them like nunchuks into their comrades, while the wolf had chased the privateers into the cabin and was currently clawing madly the doorway while they hid and trembled in terror like rabbits trapped in their den. It was so chaotic Vivi could barely keep track of everything.

The Going Merry was already hectic as well. They still needed to sail the ship and keep pace with galleon, and there were still cannons and rifles that threatened to take their only escape option down. Nami was shouting orders while Sanji and Chopper worked the rigging, and Tashigi braced herself as she jumped on the railing with a grapple, ready to climb up. Zoro stopped her suddenly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, um, listen," the swordsman said awkwardly. "It might be best if you stay here with the ship and I go up there alone."

Tashigi stared at him. "What? Why?"

Zoro hesitated. "Well, we don't know how strong they are, it might be dangerous and it'd, well…"

She folded her arms, eyes narrowing. "So, basically it's too dangerous for me because I'm a woman and you want to go up to keep me safe, right?"

His mouth clenched, struggling to find the right words. Zoro's underdeveloped 'boyfriend' sense was tingling. "Look, I just don't want anything to happen to you, alright?" He snapped defensively.

Tashigi's mouth pursed. After a moment's pause, she relented. "Fine," she said simply, jumping down from the railing. "You go."

Zoro sighed in relief, smiling thankfully as he climbed up onto the railing. He took a deep breath, and tensed his body to jump.

He didn't even have time to react as Tashigi casually gave him a sharp push from behind, and Zoro dropped over the ledge. The swordsman hit the ocean with a quiet splash and a loud curse. The rest of the crew stared in shock.

"Oh dear, Zoro has tripped and fallen overboard," Tashigi said innocently, spinning the grapple around in one hand as she unsheathed her sword with her other. "Oh well, I guess I'll have to take his place on the raiding team…"

It might have been a bit petty, but Tashigi couldn't help but grin as she heard the angry shout snap up from the sea.

* * *

The _Mary-Elizabeth_ had been swallowed by absolute chaos. There were so many privateers charging from all directions, and more constantly spilled out from the lower decks even as the pirates cut through them.

Wiper was everywhere, and explosions followed him wherever he went. The raider was in his element; he would switch between firing his bazooka and using it as club fluidly, and even as they tried to pile on him from all sides Wiper would just knock them down and power through.

Usopp could barely even see Vivi; the blue-haired princess was a cloud of sand roaring across the deck. There were dozens of men running in blind panic from the sandstorm so furious that it ground down wood like sandpaper. Carue was one of the ones running madly; the giant duck was skidding across deck, barging through privateers as he tried to find a place to hide amongst the explosions and gunfire.

Tashigi handled herself well too. Her sword style was more defensive and measured than what Usopp was used to, but she stood with her back to the corner and as the privateers tried to overpower her, Tashigi's sword would just dart out, precise and deadly.

Conis was out of her depth, but she kept herself surprisingly calm and focused. A lot more composed than Usopp would have been in her situation, at least. A large of part of that was due to the giant wolf. The beast was a wild frenzy of teeth and claws, and was the main source of panic on the deck. Conis herself kept close to Tashigi protectively, her eyes wide and scared.

Usopp recognised that fear. Everyone was screaming and yelling, and it was so chaotic that it was very easy just to be consumed by the panic. Still, Usopp focused solely on his slingshot. Reload. Aim. Fire. Reload. Aim. Fire. It was a dull steady rhythm that managed to keep him calm.

With everything else in madness, Usopp leapt to the top of the centre mast, and with his toad form he could clutch onto the mast with his webbed feet as his slingshot cut down the privateers consistently and accurately.

"Stand fast, men!" A privateer shouted loudly. He was a big burly man, and he had a sergeant's voice. "Show these pirates what _vipers_ can do!"

Usopp took aim at the shouting man, loaded an explosive shot and fired in a smooth action. His aim was dead-on, but then his target drew a sword and easily blocked the projectile with the blade. Usopp had already reloaded, but then a bullet gouged a hole straight through the mast he was clutching to, causing the toad to drop from the sails as he flinched. Usopp managed to land on his feet on the ground, but then another bullet came so close that he had to duck for cover. Usopp barely had time to glimpse a man standing on top of the cabin wearing goggles and clutching a high-powered rifle. Another sniper.

The toad barrelled behind a pile of crates to hide, shoulder-barging two men out of the way, while the sniper kept on taking pot-shots. His rifle shot straight through the crates with every shot. Usopp was suddenly keenly away of how much of a big target his large toad form really was.

Around him, there was a guttural grunt as Wiper struggled to wrestle against an absolute mountain of a man – an immensely obese privateer with stubby limbs, but he still clutched a viciously sharp cleaver as he hacked away at Wiper's bazooka. Meanwhile, Usopp glimpsed the burly man with the sergeant's voice charging at Tashigi, swinging his sword with so much force that it nearly took straight Tashigi off her feet.

A lot of the privateers had been pretty mundane, but these guys definitely weren't. Usopp reckoned they had just engaged the officers of the West Viper Brigade. "Be careful!" Usopp shouted loudly. "These guys are tough!"

Another rifle shot came so close that it scraped across Usopp's shoulder. He winced with pain and croaked with fear, but every instinct he had told him that he had to move. With a sudden leap, Usopp burst out of the crates, his slingshot firing madly at his opponent. The other sniper rushed for cover while Usopp dived towards the back of the boat, hiding amongst the rigging as he reloaded. Within seconds, the two marksmen were dancing across the ship, trading shots from different ends of the galleon as the battle raged around them.

Meanwhile, Vivi cried out in shock as she saw Tashigi struggling against her opponent. The burly officer was more like a butcher than a swordsman with his blade, but he was so ferocious that Tashigi could barely block. More privateer officers were charging around them, bolstering their men as they started to coordinate around the pirates.

"Tashigi!" Vivi shouted in concern, charging at the burly man in a wave of sand. "Hold on!"

The officer turned and slashed her body open, from shoulder to hip, without hesitation, but he hit nothing but sand. His eyes widened in shock and Vivi smirked. There were times when being a Logia was _fun_.

"That's right," Vivi said cheerfully, just as blade of sand took him off his feet. Two dozen bullet holes shot through her, but she barely even noticed the gunfire anymore.

"Die!" A furious shout bellowed from behind. Vivi turned just as a skinny man with crazy eyes darted at her with a knife. She lashed out instinctively with a whip of sand, but the man ducked underneath and slashed upwards furiously. The pain and shock hit her as the knife cut slashed across her shoulder, tearing through her dress and skin. If Vivi hadn't have moved at the last second, it would have cleaved her face open.

Crazy eyes looked feral with rage. "_Seastone_ blade," the man growled, stabbing forward at her. His knife definitely wasn't made out of normal metal.

Vivi dodged backwards, but she recovered well and drew her Peacock Slashers in a smooth motion, twirling them around to parry the knife as the sand focused around Crazy Eyes. Next to her, Burly Man was already recovering, charging again at Tashigi while former marine dropped down below deck, using the corridors of the ship to her advantage as she channelled the privateers one by one.

Vivi's Peacock Slashers churned with the sand, but Crazy Eyes was relentless as he stabbed forward. The furious attack nearly caught her off-guard as the knife came too close for comfort, but then Vivi ducked under his armed and sent him flying upwards with a tsunami of sand. He crashed straight into the mast, but his knife was kept firmly in his hand.

The ship rocked as Wiper managed to overpower the Fat Man, slamming him into the ground with a Dial-powered dropkick, before repeatedly pummelling his opponent's face with the nozzle of his bazooka. The privateers just kept on charging against them. Vivi bit her lip in concern. Wiper clearly wasn't in trouble, Tashigi was experienced enough not to get caught out, and even Usopp was good at hiding and running away, but…

"Conis," Vivi muttered under her breath with concern, glancing around. "Where's Conis?"

* * *

The deck was a battlefield, but inside the ship was even worse. There were so many corridors and twists that Conis was running around completely blind, but in the cramped space she had the advantage while the privateers were tripping over themselves in panic. She ran quickly through the ship, following in the wake of bloody chaos left by the wolf as she gripped her Dials tightly.

For the privateers around her, coming face to face with a giant wolf was the first sign that they were about to have a really, really bad day.

Conis twisted around a corner, emerging into a wide room filled with long tables. A deck hall. The sounds of snarling and yelping filled the room. Conis gasped as she saw a well-built man clutching a large axe, hacking at her wolf madly. The wolf gave every bit as good as it got, snapping out with sharp teeth and fury, but then the man slammed the wolf with his elbow right between the wolf's eyes, before bringing the butt of his axe against the beast's head. With a yelp, it crashed to the ground.

Axe Man was gasping for breath, wincing from the scratches across his body as he turned to face Conis angrily. They were surrounded by bodies of privateers. There was so much rage in Axe Man's eyes that Conis felt her knees go weak. Her breathing felt so shallow.

"Was that wolf yours?" Axe Man demanded furiously. Conis managed to nod weakly. He snarled, staring at her with hate as he clutched his axe tighter. It was a big axe. "Then I'm going to kill you next!"

There was no else around, and nowhere to hide. This was a one on one battle. A battle to the death.

And Conis felt like a stupid little teenage girl that was so, so far from home.

He was walking towards her, moving with slow, murderous intent. Angry but careful. Conis clutched her Dials tighter. Axe Man smirked like a predator sensing weakness.

"You're going to die now, girl," he promised angrily. Somehow, there was something about him that seemed familiar…

Conis gulped, and then nodded. "Right," she said stupidly, before picking out a Dial. "Catch."

Without warning, she casually threw an object at Axe Man. Without thinking, he casually grabbed it out of the air. It was absolutely amazing how many people, even in battle, would grab an object that was passed to them.

The Impact Dial exploded with a boom of force. Axe Man was sent flying to the ground, roaring in pain. His eyes were bloodshot. "You bitch!" He howled.

"Yeah," Conis said softly, picking out another two Dials from her belt and casually dropping them onto the ground. The Breath Dials hissed into life, and suddenly thick, white smoke started to fill the room. Conis stepped backwards, and at once she disappeared from sight into the cloud.

Axe Man hesitated, suddenly unsure as he clutched his axe defensively, ready for any sudden attack. The cloud surrounded him now, so thick he couldn't see a thing.

"Could we please talk about this reasonably?" Conis' voice emerged from the smog, nearby. Axe Man's eyes widened, and instantly he leapt forward with a vicious swing of his axe. He hit nothing but air.

He didn't even have time to flinch as Conis stepped out, directly behind him, and pressed her Axe Dial to the back of his skull. She triggered the Dial, and then Axe Man collapsed to the ground without another word.

"That was a Tone Dial," Conis said in explanation. She spent a long time staring at his body, breathing deeply as she felt the rush of exhilaration race through her body. Then, she gathered up her Dials, and started to walk away.

She took a few steps, before pausing, glancing back to the body with a frown. Conis hesitated slightly.

"I am _so_ sorry about that," she apologised earnestly, before walking away.

* * *

"Vipers!" The Burly Man shouted furiously, cleaving down with his blade. His blade was more like a sharp slab of metal than a sword. "We are vipers! Vipers, attack!"

Men were charging from all directions, spilling out the corridors at Tashigi, while the Burly Man led the charge. Tashigi didn't even try to fight them off; instead she was left walking backwards in retreat, her blade slashing out with swift parries as they raced down the corridor.

_He is definitely a sergeant_, Tashigi thought firmly. Burly Man had a sergeant's voice. He was loud, boisterous and he attacked in straight line, but he was still fast and very strong. Tashigi was left playing to her surroundings, dancing backwards through the narrow corridors while Burly Man tripped over himself trying to maintain the attack. With so many men trying to force their way through, Tashigi could set the pace of the fight.

"Vipers!" He screamed, every vein on his beetroot face throbbing. The strain was getting to him. "Vipers don't surrender!"

Tashigi didn't respond, too focused to waste energy on banter. Two men dived at her, but Tashigi dodged to the side, twisting out her foot as they toppled to ground. Another one tried to hack at her with a cutlass, but Tashigi parried the blow with her sword, barging into him and slamming his back against the wall.

Burly Man roared as he swung his blade madly, but in the narrow corridor, surrounded by his own men, there was only so much he could do. Tashigi didn't try to block, instead she caught them all by surprise as she grabbed a hold of the privateer next to her, twisted him around, and used the man like a battering ram as she pushed into Burly Man.

They crashed together in a jumble of flailing limbs and confusion, knocking Burly Man into the wall. He roared angrily, stabbing out instinctively with his sword. There wasn't enough space for Tashigi to even swing her sword, so she never even bothered trying. Instead, she kicked out with her boot, knocking Burly Man backwards as he overreached himself.

He stumbled, and instead of hitting Tashigi his sword accidently slashed down two of his own men. Blood splattered everywhere, and Burly Man hesitated in remorse and anger.

"Dammit!" He roared, but he recovered quickly. He barged through the crowd of his own men towards Tashigi like a stampede, but she quickly darted for cover through a nearby door. Burly Man turned the corner and charged after her, only to scream in anger as Tashigi suddenly slammed the door shut into him. It was more annoying than painful, but it was disorientating enough for Tashigi to take the advantage.

She darted in for the attack, yet his reflexes were good enough to dodge her blade. He managed to grab a hold of her wrist with meaty hands, so tight it hurt, and Tashigi saw him grin as he thought he had the advantage. In terms of strength, he had the clear advantage. In a wrestling match, he would undoubtedly win.

But Tashigi had absolutely no intention of making this fight in terms of strength.

"Women have no place in combat!" Burly Man snarled viciously, pulling her towards him. Tashigi foot stamped on the floor as she ducked down the ground, keeping her centre of mass low. His eyes widened in surprise as she kicked against his heels.

He was trapped in a narrow doorway, with his men pushing behind him, and he overreached himself. He stumbled, and then suddenly he was tripping straight over Tashigi. He never even had time to be surprised as Tashigi took the momentum, twisted their positions around, and then dropped him into the ground with a vicious suplex. The wood cracked.

"Have you been talking to my boyfriend by any chance?" Tashigi asked coolly, kicking the blade out of his hand as she stabbed downwards with her own. Burly Man gasped with shock, horror and blood as Tashigi's sword stabbed straight through his gut.

The former marine grunted as she pulled her sword out again, wincing slightly as she rubbed her wrist. Tashigi sighed, wiped the sweat off her glasses, and then starting jogging back down the corridor.

* * *

Splinters flew everywhere, causing Usopp to yelp as he kept on running for cover. The Other Sniper was damn fast at reloading, and every shot was like a whip snapping through the air. Usopp was running out of ammo, but the Other Sniper was still going strong.

_And my Rumble ball is out_, Usopp thought frantically. Apparently, the Toad Rumble balls only lasted less than a minute. Chopper mustn't quite have the recipe down yet. _Or maybe I just suck at being a Zoan…_

A bullet came so close he felt it scrape against his warts. To his shame, Usopp screamed like a little girl, twisting around and running in the opposite direction. A privateer tried to block him, but Usopp barely even noticed the man as he barrelled across the other side of the deck.

Usopp was nearly hyperventilating, but he paused at a corner for a deep breath, loaded up the slingshot with an explosive round, and then twisted around to fire. As soon as he emerged from the cover, a bullet sliced straight through his slingshot, splintering the weapon in half. Usopp's eyes bulged with utter dread as he stared at the useless hunk of wood, before dropping back behind the corner and huddling in fear.

"Maybe I can just sit this one out…" Usopp whispered fearfully. He didn't like being brave. It felt unnatural to try. He wasn't very good at it. "Perhaps I can just let the others handle this guy…"

The thought made his stomach churn. So far, the Other Sniper had focused solely on Usopp, but he was persistent and accurate and Usopp would hate to see what he could do against someone else. If any of Usopp's friends got hurt because Usopp hadn't been able to beat his opponent, then Usopp would never be able to forgive himself.

_This is a marksman's battle_, Usopp thought with dull resolution. _That makes it _my_ battle_.

Usopp glanced down at his broken slingshot nervously. _If I can get up close_, he thought firmly, _then I'll have the advantage. I'm a giant toad. I can take this guy up close and personal_.

Usopp had never imagined that he would ever think that about himself before.

"Alright then," he muttered timidly, throwing his slingshot to one side. "Toad style it is…"

He took a deep breath, said a quick prayer, and then jumped upwards with all of his might.

The bullet shot at him even as he burst through the air. Usopp had no time to think about how close it came. His toad eyes picked out the form of the Other Sniper huddled at the front of the ship, and then suddenly he was charging forward, leaping over privateers with furious hops.

He glimpsed a flash of a nozzle. Usopp barely managed to dart to the side in time. He gulped, webbed hands clenching.

"Toad Ooze!" Usopp shouted slamming forward as two projectiles of slime shot out of his mouth. The Other Sniper rolled across the ground to dodge.

Usopp gave him no time to recover. He kicked off the mast and spun around in the mid-air, his long turn snapping out of his mouth. His tongue wrapped around a heavy barrel and then suddenly he retracted it. His tongue snapped like a rubber band, sending the barrel soaring straight towards the Other Sniper with pinpoint accuracy.

The man didn't quite dodge in time. The flying barrel clipped his shoulder and sent him sprawling to the ground. Usopp saw his opportunity and then took it, bounding off the ground and launching himself towards the man.

"_Toad Belly Slam!_" Usopp roared victoriously, just as his huge mass dropped out of the sky. It was like an anvil dropping down towards his opponent.

Usopp was already imagining bragging about this later, when suddenly the Other Sniper grabbed his rifle, twisted around, and fired upwards.

It took a while for the pain to hit. Usopp was vaguely aware of something passing straight through his shoulder, and everything blacked out in agony.

The toad landed on the deck with a painful crunch, blood pouring from his shoulder. Vaguely, Usopp was aware of the Other Sniper sighing as he stood up, calmly levelling his rifle at Usopp's skull. He felt the cold metal press against his forehead.

"Only a _fool_ brings a slingshot to a gunfight," the Other Sniper muttered coldly, finger tightening on the trigger.

Time seemed to freeze. The rifle was cocked. Usopp's blood ran cold as he stared up the nozzle of the gun…

"_Ahem_."

The Other Sniper paused. There was a gentle bump as the heavy metal of bigger gun pressed against the back of _his_ head. His face went pale, and he turned, only to wind up staring down a much, much bigger nozzle.

"And only an absolute _moron_ brings a gun to a bazooka match," Wiper said cheerfully, just as he pulled the trigger.

The air exploded in fire. The Other Sniper collapsed limply to the ground. Usopp stared in shock as Wiper casually stepped over the body. Usopp's shoulder was still bleeding madly, so painful that he could barely move.

Wiper sighed, bending down to look at the wound. "The bullet went clean through…" He muttered quietly, a flicker in his eyes. "Stay down, keep pressure on it, stay out of the fight, we'll get the furry doctor to have a look at it afterwards."

Usopp gulped. It hurt every time he twitched, and it was agony as he tried to pull himself up. Without even thinking about it, his body rippled and returned to his human form.

"I was trying to be brave…" Usopp mumbled weakly, his vision blurring with pain.

"Meh," Wiper said with a shrug, hoisting up his bazooka again. "Bravery is fine, but heavy weaponry is better."

* * *

The battle was going badly. The sandstorm never stopped or faltered, but Vivi could feel her powers draining steadily as the privateers just kept on coming. The officers were all tough bastards, and they didn't go easily. Even if Vivi was immune to regular weapons and bullets, she had to be constantly alert, wondering maybe if the next person who shot at her would have a Seastone bullet loaded in their guns.

_Crocodile and Enel had both had arrogance problems, and they both suffered for it_, Vivi recalled suddenly, and she was beginning to understand why. If you were immune to 99% of attacks, then when you finally encountered the 1% it was so easy to be caught off-guard. Vivi had no interest in falling into the same failing, even that did mean she had dodge bullets that were most likely harmless and parry blows rather than dematerialising around them.

There was a scream as Vivi send Crazy Eyes flying away yet again, but that privateer just didn't give up. Every time she knocked him down; he was up and charging at her with his knife five seconds later. There were too many privateers all around her, it was impossible to keep track of them all.

There were other officers as well. Vivi spent five minutes getting chased by a tall, incredibly bushy bearded man with a giant hammer; all the while this skinny guy in a metal mask bombarded her with explosive grenades. Whatever she couldn't dodge didn't hurt her, but the privateers still didn't give up and there were so many. Vivi was left trying to fight in the centre of the ship, Peacock Slashers spinning furiously in the sandstorm, while they charged at her from all sides.

Vivi's head was spinning. The screaming, yelling and explosions was massively disorientating. She could feel herself losing focus and letting more attacks through, and sooner or later she knew she would make a mistake and they'd get lucky. They only needed to be lucky once.

_I'm fighting the bulk of the whole crew by myself_, Vivi realised. The galleon was rocking in the wind, and Vivi could see the ship slowly creeping away from the Going Merry. It was the job of the raiding party to cripple the target and destroy their cannons, so it would be safe for the second wave of pirates to join the assault. Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, Nami, Robin and Luffy were all ready and waiting in the side-lines. _I need to cripple the galleon, stop it sailing, and then the second wave can jump in_.

Vivi's fists clenched in determination. _I have a job to do_.

The sand churned, collected, and then lashed forward like the roar of giant lion. It was so much force that dozens of men were sent flailing to the ground as Vivi burst forward. She glimpsed Crazy Eyes leap at her, knife in hand ready to stab, trying to catch her off-guard, but the sand materialised from below into a giant fist, knocking him away.

Two other officers stood fast against her, trying to block her path. _Hammer Beard and Explosion Guy_, Vivi decided firmly, as the hammer flung towards her with lightning speed. Hammer Beard roared a challenge, but Vivi phased straight the weapon and suddenly the cloud of sand consumed him. Hammer Beard screamed and thrashed, but then Vivi knocked him to the ground and, acting in the moment, she slammed her right hand onto his forehead.

There was a brief hesitation, but all Vivi had to do was focus on her powers and suddenly the wood around them started to crack and splinter as the moisture drained from the air. Hammer Beard tried to scream, but in less than a second his throat was so dry he could barely gargle.

By the time Vivi pulled away, his body dropped to the ground like mummified, arid corpse, but he was still twitching slightly. Vivi paused slightly, staring at the palm of her hand in shock.

"Damn," Vivi muttered in shock. Her whole arm was tingling as she absorbed the moisture away. "That feels _weird_…"

Next to her, underneath his iron mask, Explosion Guy's eyes bulged and he roared as he yanked half a dozen grenades from his belt in a single action. Vivi was already reacting, creating a whip of sand that took him off his feet, and with a flick of her wrist a plume of sand knocked the grenades out of his hand and swept them across the deck. The privateers never even had time to run for cover as explosions burst everywhere.

Vivi sighed in relief, but she finally had some breathing room. She focused on the rigging determinedly. _All I need to do is cut the ropes to the mast_, Vivi decided, _the sails will swing, the ship will twist into the wind and stall, and then it's go time for the second wave_…

She barely took a single step before she heard a voice cut across the chaos.

"Freeze!" The shout was crazed, and angry. Vivi turned, and the sight made her blood turn cold. "Don't you fucking move!"

Crazy Eyes was standing at the other side of the deck, but he wasn't charging at her anymore. Instead, he had Carue forced onto the ground, with his knife at pressed against the duck's throat. Crazy Eyes wasn't very tall or imposing, he was short and scrawny, but he was still strong enough to keep the giant duck in a headlock pressed into the wood.

"Don't make another move," Crazy Eyes growled, pressing his knife a little deeper. There was a splotch of red on Carue's yellow feathers. "Or I will stab this duck open. I will, I'll _stab_ him. I'm going to _stab_ him so hard."

Vivi's eyes widened. Carue was trembling madly, his eyes crazed with terror. His captor's eyes were just crazed with crazy. Instinctively, the sand started to churn around Vivi, but Crazy Eyes snarled and Carue squawked in pain. "You hear me?! You make another move and I'll be eating duck for breakfast!" Crazy Eyes promised savagely. "I'll fucking fillet this animal right here!"

Her hands trembled. Vivi bit her lip painfully as she stared at Carue, but then the sand started to recede, covering the ground with a fine layer of orange dust. Around her, the privateers were pulling themselves up, but nobody was charging at Vivi. Instead they just glared at her, weapons ready.

"Alright," Crazy Eyes growled, not taking his unblinking eyes off Vivi. "Now you surrender, and maybe this duck gets to fly south later. Someone fetch some Seastone fucking manacles!"

The doubt and insecurity hit her. Vivi glanced around desperately for help, but everybody else was busy with their own problems. If she surrendered, they'd kill them both. She had to do something. She knew she couldn't surrender.

_But I can't let Carue die_, Vivi thought firmly. Carue was the best friend she had ever had. Yet Crazy Eyes was too far away, and his knife was too close to Carue's throat.

Vivi began to slowly hyperventilate. Her head was spinning from all the horrible possibilities. She felt nauseously sick with dread…

She paused, eyes widening. _That's it_, Vivi thought suddenly. _Sick_.

"Carue!" Vivi shouted, keeping her voice steady as she deliberately didn't make a move. Carue was squawking madly in panic, unable to escape. "Carue, listen to me," Vivi ordered firmly, gaze steady. The duck was going mad with terror. "Carue, it's alright, everything's go to be alright."

Crazy Eyes didn't move his knife any deeper nor did he relax his grip as Carue started to calm, but his eyes narrowed. "Someone get those manacles on her already!" he bellowed.

Vivi glimpsed a privateer rushing across the ship with a set of heavy chains. She looked at Carue firmly. "Carue, do you remember that time when you tried to eat that week-old fish that had fallen down the back of the cupboard?" Vivi asked loudly. Carue looked confused. "Can you remember how it tasted? Can you remember how sick it made you?"

The duck clearly didn't understand. The man with manacles was getting closer. Slowly, the sand started to churn slightly. "Do you remember," Vivi repeated with meaningful slowness. "Do you remember how _sick_ it made you?"

The realisation struck. Carue squawked slightly, gulped, and then his body shuddered.

That was the only the warning any of them had, just before the massive cloud of green acid came streaming straight out of his beak. Nobody had time to react as the cloud of green gas scoured across the deck into smog of corrosive acid.

At that moment, Vivi had never been so thankful that she was made out of sand.

* * *

The Going Merry gasped as they saw the cloud of green explode everywhere. The caravel was chasing after galleon, safely out of range of the still functioning cannons, when the acidic smog burst into the air. Even from this distance, they could all clearly smell it. It stunk worse than anything they had ever smelt. Chopper was left gagging as the tidal wave of stench hit them.

"Whoa!" Luffy gasped, bouncing up and down on his special seat, watching the battle. "Was that _Carue_?"

Zoro and Nami rushed to get a closer look, while Sanji pulled out a telescope and peered through it. After a few seconds, Sanji folded the scope back up again.

"Do you know how I usually smack Carue over the nose every time he tries to break into the larder?" Sanji said finally, folding his arms.

Zoro frowned in confusion. "Yeah?"

Sanji nodded. "Yes, well, I'm going to stop doing that from now on."

Nami squinted as she stared at the galleon. The ship was decelerating quickly. "They're stalling," Nami realised. "Has Carue damaged the masts?"

Sanji snorted, handing the scope to Nami. There was very little left of the masts to see. "Damaged them? He's _vaporised_ the bloody masts."

There was a moment of silence. They all stared at the cloud of green, which was taking a very long time to dissipate. The air stunk horribly, like the stench of burning flesh. There was a pause as they stared at the acidic smog.

"_Damn_…" Zoro whispered finally.

Mentally, Nami a note of that on her list of 'things to freak out about later'. Then, she managed to shake herself off and take command.

"Alright, that's one way to get the job done," she conceded, turning to the rest of the crew. "They're dead in the water, so it's time for wave two. Zoro, Sanji, you're up. Chopper, go with them in case anyone's injured."

Chopper saluted. Zoro smirked. Sanji nodded eagerly, turning towards the galleon. "Aww, Conis! Tashigi! _Vivi!_" Sanji cooed. "Wait for me, my beautiful ladies, for your prince is coming to your rescue!"

Zoro stared at him. "You do realise that Tashigi is _my_ girlfriend, right?"

That statement still made Sanji gag in disgust. A vein throbbed in Zoro's vein as the two of them dropped into their usual quarrel. Next to them, Robin just giggled, while Nami was already twisting the ship around.

Nobody looked more relieved than Luffy as they approached. "Alright!" The captain shouted eagerly, gasping in relief as he cracked his knuckles. Sitting in reserve had been very hard for him. "Wave two! My turn now!"

Nami shook her head. "No, Luffy you're staying here."

He nearly collapsed to the ground. "_Whaaa?!_"

"We're the reserve team," Nami explained, pointing between him and Robin. "I need to be here to steer the ship, Robin is here to man the sails, so you're staying for protection. We're going to be doing circles around the galleon in case anyone tries to run off with the loot, or in case they need fast escape."

Luffy looked absolutely dejected. "But… but… but…" he protested weakly.

"She's right," Robin commented with a gentle smile. "It's important to keep a strong reserve team."

Luffy stared between the both of them miserably. _I have two girlfriends and I can't win against either of them_. He thought about arguing, but there was something about the tone of the conversation that told him it was futile. "_Fine_," Luffy pouted, stomping away dramatically.

He looked so heartbroken that Nami couldn't help but giggle, and, after making sure that no one was watching, lightly kiss him on the cheek. He kissed her back, but fleeting enough to say that he was still upset. Despite herself, Robin smiled softly at the exchange.

As Luffy went away in a huff, Robin glanced at Nami. There was a pause. "You're just teasing him now, aren't you?" Robin asked quietly.

Nami hesitated, staring towards Luffy, sitting cross-legged on his seat with his arms folded and his bottom lip sticking out in an endearingly cute way. Nami enjoyed watching him pout slightly more than what was healthy for a relationship.

"Maybe just a little," Nami admitted.

* * *

Suddenly, it was a lot more spacious on the deck. Carue's acid breath had left very little left. Even the wooden planks had been scoured clean. Vivi could feel the tide of the battle shifting. The privateers were running scared rather than running towards them.

Carue looked more surprised than anybody about what he done. Even after Vivi had chased Crazy Eyes away, the duck cuddled up to her for desperate reassurance.

"It's alright, boy," Vivi soothed, rubbing his beak. "You did well. You're going to get such a big treat for this later…"

The privateers weren't approaching them now. It took a hell of a lot of courage to face an enemy that could burn the flesh of your bones with a breath. With a bang, Wiper crashed through a wall, sending an officer slamming into the ground. Vivi saw Tashigi and Conis emerge together from below deck. The fighting was still fierce, but now it was the pirates chasing after the privateers.

By the time Zoro, Sanji and Chopper climbed onto the deck, the bodies of privateers littered the ground and their numbers were quickly running out.

"Vivi!" Chopper called eagerly, seeing the cut on her shoulder. Vivi didn't even notice Sanji's instant serenade anymore. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said with a smile. "Carue's a bit shaken up, but he'll live. Usopp needs your attention more; he's over there behind the cabin, he was shot in the shoulder."

Chopper wasted no time in rushing to Usopp's aid. Zoro and Sanji rushed into the fray, giving Tashigi and Wiper a time to catch their breath. Conis, Tashigi and Wiper secured the deck, while Zoro and Sanji led the charge in to hull of the ship, already competing with each other as they tore through men. Vivi could hear the argument even from the deck above.

Vivi was sweating madly and exhausted, but there was at the same time a rush of exhilaration as she stared at the piles of unconscious bodies. The galleon was nearly theirs…

She paused. "The battle lasts until the captain surrenders…" Vivi muttered under her breath, glancing around. "So where's the captain…?"

There was a sudden boom, followed by a crash, and then a dull thud. In an instant, the sound of Zoro and Sanji arguing stopped. Vivi was instantly alert. There was a brief pause, and then the deck split open and two figures came crashing up from the deck below in a shower of splinters. There was no time to react as a bellowing roar split the sky open.

"_Juist _whit_ urr ye _daein'_ oan mah ship?!_" A thunderous voice screamed, accent so thick it was barely intelligible.

"What the hell is that?!" Wiper exclaimed, clutching his bazooka tightly. Zoro and Sanji were both groaning as they staggered off the ground. From below, there was victorious cheer from the remaining privateers. A rallying cry from the men.

Sanji winced as he limped to his feet. He paused to pick out a cigarette, glancing around at them weakly. "Well, the good news is that we've found the captain."

In an instant, the ship exploded and a mountain of a man came bursting out into the air with so much force that the air boomed. Wiper fired his bazooka instinctively, Vivi lashed out with a razor blade of sand, but it was like throwing stones at an avalanche. Vivi barely had time to blink as suddenly a humongous fist swept straight through her.

"_Ye pirates think ye kin steal fae _me_?!_" The mountain man roared. The moment Vivi reformed from sand, a giant boot stomped on top of her. Vivi caught a glimpse of man with a shaggy beard, long grey overalls and weathered skin just before she was crushed underfoot. "_Dinnae ye ken wha ye'r dealing wi'?!_"

The pirates were already rallying around him. The captain was a monster of man; a solid wall of muscles, who stared at the pirates with bloodshot eyes. "_Juist whit th' hell urr ye daein' 'ere?_" The captain demanded.

Nobody responded. Nobody knew how. Zoro and Wiper stared at each other confusedly. "I think it's trying to communicate with us," Zoro said finally.

The statement just seemed to anger the captain even more. He moved in a blur. Zoro drew his swords to block, Wiper hid behind his bazooka, but the lightning fast fist still sent them both flying backwards. "_Damn ye!_"

A cheer rose up from among the privateers. Zoro and Wiper were left trying to pick themselves up out of a pile of debris, while the privateers rallied around the captain. Vivi glimpsed Crazy Eyes, with acid burns but alive, Explosion Guy, and even Burly Man, though his stomach was heavily bandaged, lead the charge with their captain.

"Captain Haraden!" The chant rose up around them. "Captain Haraden! Haraden!"

The captain, Haraden, roared triumphantly, posing for his men for even more cheers. Vivi stared in shock. "You can't beat Captain Haraden!" Burly Man shouted at Vivi triumphantly. "He's been sailing seventeen years and no one has even beaten him! He's five-eighths giant, you know."

Vivi was about to quip back, before she paused and frowned. "Wait – _five-eighths_ giant?"

Burly Man nodded, slightly sheepishly. "It's a long story," he admitted, just before charging at Vivi and slashing down with his blade. Vivi disappeared into sand instantly.

The privateers attacked with renewed charge, but Haraden was on the warpath. Sanji grunted as he jumped out furiously, slamming his foot in the captain's back in a mighty spinning kick. The captain just shrugged the blow off, and lashed out with a backhanded swipe that Sanji could barely see, let alone dodge.

Zoro fared slightly better. He went for Haraden's legs, all three swords slashing shallow cuts across the captain's ankles as he lunged. Then, the next second, Zoro was sent flying by a kick with the force of a steam train. The swordsman crashed through the cabin and landed in a pile of splintered wood.

He gasped and groaned as he staggered up. Tashigi rushed to help him. "Goddammit," Zoro cursed. "It shouldn't be legal for someone _that_ big to be _that_ fast."

Tashigi held out a hand to pull up him, but then paused. "Wait…" she said teasingly. "Are you sure your big, strong male pride is willing to accept help from a _woman_?"

Zoro sighed exasperatedly. Tashigi smirked. "Just shut up and come slice this guy up into lots of little pieces with me," Zoro snapped, limping out through the hole in the wall.

Tashigi drew her sword. "My pleasure."

* * *

From the Going Merry, the battle on the galleon was nothing but shockwaves and explosions, and splinters bursting everywhere. Luffy was twitching with anxiety as he was left to imagine everything he was missing out on.

They were all watching the chaos keenly. Nami was steering and watching through the telescope, while Robin was in the crow's nest and controlling the mast with her powers, while Luffy was bouncing up and down on his special seat. Aisa was still below deck, locked out of the way until everything was over.

After a while, Nami started pacing impatiently. The sounds of explosions and indecipherable yelling didn't lessen.

"This is taking too long," Nami decided finally, clutching her Clima-Sword. "I'm going to go up and give them a hand."

"I'll help you up," Robin offered, as she sprouted a chain of arms to act as a makeshift ladder up to galleon deck.

Luffy was already jumping into the air. "Brilliant, I'll–" He started eagerly.

"_Hey!_" Nami said chidingly, just as Robin's arms started to lift them both upwards. "_Someone_ has to stay with the Merry."

Luffy's jaw hit the ground as the two girls left him behind. His mouth stammered helplessly as he glared at Nami pleadingly. The navigator just stuck her tongue out and waved goodbye.

"COME ON!" Luffy roared, collapsing to his knees while the women left him behind.

Both Nami and Robin shared a smirk.

* * *

"_C'moan ye scunners!_" The captain roared. His body was a blur of speed and force. "_Ah'll tak' ye a' oan!_"

"I swear, those are _almost_ words," Zoro muttered dryly, ducking out of the way. It took every reflex he had to keep pace with the giant, yet Haraden was monstrously strong and incredibly tough. Zoro slashed outwards and sliced two long cuts into Haraden's hand, but the captain didn't even seem to feel them.

Wiper shot above him, unloading his bazooka directly into Haraden's forehead a close range. It might as well have been a mosquito bite for all the good it did.

Sanji darted low, kicking into Haraden's knee and causing the giant to stumble. Any success was short lived as Haraden recovered and body slammed Sanji into the ground. Just as the captain was about to launch a finishing blow against the chef, two arms sprouted from the ground and pulled Sanji to safety. Nami and Robin were instantly climbing over the railing, focused and ready to fight.

"You look like you're having trouble," Nami commented.

Zoro grunted. "I'm handling it."

There was a pause. Meanwhile, Haraden snatched Wiper out of the air and launched him into the ground.

"Alright, so this captain is fairly tough," Zoro conceded, reluctantly, wincing as he straightened up.

"He's a veteran Grand Line privateer in charge of a powerful crew," Robin commented. "Tough is to be expected."

The other privateers were falling fairly easily, but Haraden was a bulldozer that just couldn't be stopped. The whole crew converged on him, but he just didn't even slow down. Usopp was up and firing projectiles straight into his eyes, while Conis called half a dozen owls to scratch at his face, while Zoro, Sanji and Wiper were relentless in their attacks. Vivi lashed out with constant blades of sand that had shredded Haraden's overalls away, while Chopper and Tashigi attacked with deadly precision and skill.

Still, the bastard just didn't slow down even slightly. Zoro's head was spinning after so many bone-crunching blows.

An enormous boot launched towards them. Zoro couldn't get out the way in time, but Nami reacted quickly. With a swipe of her Clima-Sword, the iron cloud transformed into a protective dome around them. Haraden's kick almost crumpled through the dome, but then Robin created two arms that punched Haraden straight in both eyes, and Nami twiddled the Dials on her sword pommel.

"Don't underestimate me!" Nami shouted, and the Dials on the handle discharged and a lightning bolt instantly burst from the iron cloud. Haraden grunted as the electricity shot up his leg and stumbled backwards, but Nami spun the Clima-Sword into a long lance and sent it flying towards the captain's face.

Haraden stumbled backwards further, barely keeping his footing. Tashigi was there in a second, slicing at his foot and then, finally, the giant toppled and tripped over, crashing into the deck with a dull thud.

He had barely even hit the ground before Vivi was on him, lashing out with three spinning blades of sand straight into his face. Blood splattered everywhere.

"_Ye'r annoying me noo, sand wifie!_" Haraden squirmed and launched himself at Vivi from the floor, but he hit nothing but a sand cloud. In an instant, Zoro, Sanji and Wiper dropped themselves onto the back of the captain's head, with a ferocious assault of blade, boot and bazooka. "_Och damn–!_"

The impact made a depression in the deck the size of Haraden's head. Zoro was panting for breath heavily, but then he saw the captain pull himself up off the ground, angrier than ever. "Come on, why won't you stay down already?" Zoro growled to himself.

"_Men!_" Haraden roared, as the privateers charged around him. "_Git thae wee scunners 'n' gie thaim hurt!_"

Zoro grunted as the wall of bodies slammed into him, just as Haraden charged again and sent him flying backwards. Vivi was there in retaliation, an orange cloud of sand that tore its way through the crowd. Haraden flinched backwards, but then Crazy Eyes, Seastone knife back in hand, leapt at Vivi and managed to scratch her arm with the blade. It was enough to turn her solid, and without pause Haraden's fist slammed out of the sky and pounded her into the deck below.

"Vivi!" Nami screened in instant concern, twisting the Clima-Tact around and generating a tornado gust that pushed that captain backwards. Haraden lashed out with a sharp kick that Nami barely deflected with her blade. The navigator grunted as the impact knocked her backwards.

"I'll go see to Vivi," Robin promised Nami, rushing by her. "You and the others take care of the big guy."

Nami nodded weakly, gasping for breath. Around her, the pirates were already dragging themselves off the floor and brushing themselves down, ready for more. A flash of pride hit her as she saw the whole crew stand back up again. _We can take the beating just as long as this captain can_, Nami thought firmly, _and I'm betting we can dish it out a lot harder_.

"Come on!" Nami shouted in challenge, raising her sword. "Come and get some you giant _scunner_!"

Zoro groaned, rubbing his eyes. "What does that word even _mean_?!"

* * *

Vivi groaned with pain as she pulled herself up again. The blow had knocked her into the level below, and she ended up crashing into a pile of crates in a storage room. Her head was still spinning from concussion as she staggered to her feet.

She never even noticed the person sneaking up behind her right up until something metallic clicked around her wrist. Vivi's jumped in shock, but strong arms grabbed her from behind.

"I've got you now," an evil voice snarled into her ear. Vivi's eyes widened as she realised she couldn't dematerialise. Vivi thrashed out of the assailant's grip and jumped forward, just as a heavy blow from behind knocked her to the ground.

The impact hurt. Vivi jaw stung, but she turned to see Crazy Eyes standing above her, knife in hand. He wasn't charging at her insanely anymore, instead he seemed sneeringly confident.

"I've got you now," Crazy Eyes repeated slowly.

Vivi stared at wrist in shock. He had managed to get a set of Seastone manacles around her right wrist. Crazy Eyes dangled the key in front of her, mockingly, as he licked his knife across his tongue. His skin was covered in acid burns and he was bleeding, but his eyes were just as insane as ever. In a moment of panic, Vivi realised that she didn't have her powers anymore.

"You beat a _lot_ of my crew today," Crazy Eyes growled, advancing slowly. "I'm going to take my _time_ with you."

Vivi edged backwards slowly, heart racing. Crazy Eyes lunged, pinning down her arms with his legs. She kicked out with her leg, but then he was on top of her, holding her painfully by her long blue hair as he held his knife to her throat. Despite herself, Vivi squealed in pain.

"What's the matter?" Crazy Eyes taunted. "You're not so tough without your _powers _now, are you?"

There was a pause. Vivi took a deep breath, and turned to stare directly at him defiantly.

_Actually_, Vivi thought slowly, _I'm pretty sick of dealing with this guy_…

"And how the hell would you know?" She growled.

Without hesitation, her leg shot upwards. Vivi's knee collided firmly with Crazy Eye's crotch. The man yelped and tried to slash downwards with his knife, but Vivi snapped out first. Her teeth bit tightly around Crazy Eye's hand, blood swelling up in her mouth, and she bit down so hard that the knife dropped out of his grasp.

Crazy Eyes tried to thrash against her, but, then, Vivi head-butted him straight in the face. There was a crunch as his nose crumpled and blood splattered everywhere. He muffled something indecipherable, but Vivi was already pushing him off her and standing up.

"Wait a second, you can't –" He protested, just as Vivi slammed her foot into his stomach. "Oomph! You bi–" She kicked him again. And then again. By the time she had enough of kicking him, he was groaning and rolling around the floor in pain.

Vivi paused, sighed, straightened out her hair and then bent over and took the key for the manacles from him. Afterwards, she took both the Seastone manacles and the Seastone knife and threw them out of the porthole, into the ocean.

And then she went and kicked Crazy Eyes again, just because it was _so_ satisfying.

Finally, she stopped, and bent down next to Crazy Eyes. "Alright," Vivi said slowly, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "How about this? I actually don't _want_ to kill you, so how about you just stay here, out of my way, because if you come after me again… well…" She smiled sweetly. "It's probably just best for everyone if you just stay here."

Crazy Eyes gulped weakly. He coughed, spitting blood against the floor. "Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Vivi insisted. There was a pause, and then Crazy Eyes nodded. Vivi smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "Good."

With that, the princess pulled herself up and walked away, leaving him in silence.

As soon as she turned her back, Crazy Eyes discreetly pulled a second knife out of his sock. The new knife was smaller than the first but with the same Seastone blade. He winced as he pulled himself up. He waited until she left the room, walking with her back to him, and then he quietly crept behind her, his knife ready to slice Vivi's throat open.

"You fucking bitch…" Crazy Eyes muttered, barely even a whisper, just as his body coiled and tensed to strike. With one smooth action, his knife shot forward…

And he didn't even have time to react as a hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbed his wrist, and twisted his arm around. Crazy Eyes never even manage to scream as the blade lunged straight into his own throat. The blood splattered madly everywhere. Suddenly, there was another set of hands over his mouth stopping him from making a noise.

Crazy Eyes could only watch in horror as Vivi turned the corner without even noticing him, all the while his blood splurged madly from the open wound.

"Shhh…" A soft voice whispered by his ear. "Please don't make a noise. I'd hate for Vivi to see you like this."

His legs buckled, but someone was there, behind him, to catch him before he hit the ground. Nico Robin cradled him in her arms gently, holding him off the ground as he bled to death. Crazy Eyes tried to struggle, futilely, but her grip was firm.

"It's alright, it's alright…" Robin whispered reassuringly. Curiously, she wondered what his name actually was. Then again, it didn't really make any difference. "Don't fight it. It's alright. You see, Vivi is a good person. She hates to take a life, even though there are some people that just don't deserve to live."

Slowly, Robin grabbed a hold of the knife sticking out of his throat, and carefully twisted it around his neck until the blood streamed down his chest.

"_I'm_ not a good person," Robin whispered quietly. She held him until he finally stopped thrashing. It didn't take long. Gently, she placed his body down on the floor, and took a deep breath.

After a moment's hesitation, Robin picked up the Seastone knife, cleaned the blood off the blade onto his clothes, and then quietly pocketed the knife into her boot.

* * *

The fist was powerful enough to cause the air to boom. Zoro's teeth ground together as the impact hit him, and then he was flying backwards into the galleon. He could feel his bones shuddering. His head was spinning and he could barely focus, even as the second punch came streaming out of the sky.

The swordsman was so left so dazed that by the time he managed to focus, he glimpsed Wiper being elbowed with a massively powerful blow. Zoro tried to stand up, only for nausea to hit him and for his knees to buckle.

_Damn_, Zoro thought weakly, blinking repeatedly, _this guy sure could throw a punch_…

"_Ye scunners think ye kin raid this ship?!_" Captain Haraden bellowed. "_Weel, this is ma ship 'n' th' Wast Viper Brigade dinnae tak' kindly tae na pirates! A'm a batter ye 'til yer wallies gang thro' th' back o` yer noggin!_"

Even worse than the concussion, Zoro's ears felt like they were about explode from the captain's constant, nonsensical screaming. "Come on, man, haven't you ever heard of an indoor voice?" Zoro groaned tiredly, pulling himself off the ground. He barely even stood up again before Haraden battered him down.

He landed in a heap next to Nami. Both pirates were bleeding and panting heavily. They shared a glance, groaned, and then slowly pulled themselves up yet again.

Haraden looked exhausted too. He was bleeding from dozens of wounds and he was panting heavily. The pirates had fought him blow for blow, wound for wound, but somehow the captain was still going. Not even Usopp's toxin or Carue acid breath could stop him. He was the only privateer still fighting, while all the others were even unconscious or hiding away from the battle. Zoro rubbed his eyes tiredly, while he, Nami and Sanji staggered forward for yet another round.

_The hundredth punch definitely wasn't as painful as the first_, Zoro decided.

"…Nami…" Zoro gulped weakly, glancing at the navigator. "…I think we're going to have to bite the bullet and do it."

She moaned. "…No!" Nami gasped, struggling for breath as she motioned to Haraden. "Look at him! He's on his last legs! We can take him!"

Zoro shook his head. "Come on, it's not worth it anymore. Let's just do it and get it over with."

"But he's never going to let us live it down!" Nami protested.

Haraden stared at them incredulously, raising his fists while Nami and Zoro ignored him. "_Oi buggers, we ur meant tae be fightin' 'ere!_"

Zoro swatted him away distractedly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." The swordsman rolled his eyes. "Look, Nami, I'm exhausted, and I'm done. Let's just finish it already."

Nami groaned, wincing with the movement. "What about the rest of you?" Nami asked pleadingly, looking around the crew. "What do you think?"

"_This is meant tae be a rammy 'ere, whit urr ye yapping aboot noo?!_" Haraden demanded angrily, looking between while everyone else just ignored him.

"Yeah, I think it's over too," Sanji agreed, lighting a cigarette and casually limping out of the way. He passed a light to Wiper, who took a cigarillo.

"I could go on," Wiper said defiantly. "But he's right, it's not worth it."

Nami looked pleadingly at Tashigi. The former marine just nodded sympathetically. "Sorry."

The navigator groaned. "_Fine. I'll_ do it," she said miserably, before adding, "But this is _not_ a defeat, we just can't be bothered to keep on fighting, alright?"

"_If ye'r nae aff tae fight, a'm aff tae pummel ye whaur ye staun!_" Haraden bellowed defiantly, before jumping towards the air towards them with breakneck speed. The captain crashed down towards the pirates like a ton of bricks. None of them even tried to dodge.

Nami just closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then shouted at the top of her lungs. "_LUFFY!_" She shouted. "_IT'S YOUR TURN!_"

He was there before she even finished the final syllable. There was a flash of light. Suddenly, Haraden was flying backwards and crashing into the ground. In a spark, Luffy was instantly standing in front of her, grinning brightly. Nami had to half-smile and half-groan at his smug expression.

"It took you long enough," Luffy said brightly, folding his arms.

"Yeah, yeah," Nami muttered, rolling her eyes as she dropped to sit on the ground. "Just finish it off will you?"

He nodded, turning to face Haraden. "Of course."

The giant captain roared as he pulled himself out of the wreckage, glaring at Luffy murderously. "_A dinnae ken wha yer, ye wee shrimp…!_" Haraden roared. "…_bit a'm aff tae rip yer hede 'n' uise yer spine fur a toothpick, 'n' then ah will teach ye nae tae fankle wi' th' terror o'–_"

Luffy stopped listening. Slowly, he lifted his hand up and pointed his finger at Haraden. The air crackled.

"Good luck with that," Luffy said cheerfully, just as lightning exploded from his finger and the whole ship was consumed in fire and light.

They felt the shockwave five miles away.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Inside the mindscape, Mr Rumble slowly reclined in his armchair as he twiddled his fingers, watching the sparks fly across his hands. He twisted his hand, channelling the lightning and shaping electricity to his will. The sparks danced across the air, forming whatever shape he desired, twisting into sculptures or paintings or tapestries.

The mindscape was so bare, Mr Rumble was currently pondering over the proper decor to spice it up. _Perhaps abstract expressionism_, he mused silently; _or maybe a bit of neo-primitivism to set the mood…_

He stopped as he felt the power being channelled from him. There had been an empty period, but it looked like his host was drawing from the Devil's power again. That meant he was willing to play by the rules.

By mortal standards, the amount of power being used was on the type of scale that was commonly associated with the apocalypse.

Mr Rumble thought about for a while, and then shrugged. "Well," he said, rather dejectedly. "I suppose it's a start…"

* * *

By the time the lightning faded, everything had been turned black. The wood had been scorched so quickly it never even burnt. There was just a circle of black, charred wood, and in the centre Captain Haraden stood completely motionless.

It took a few seconds for the captain to finally topple over.

Nobody spoke for a while. Then, the hushed whispers spread around the privateers slowly, each word soaked in fear.

"… _Captain_…!"

"…_one_ shot, did you _see_ that…?"

"…took down the _captain_…"

"… _one_ finger…"

Luffy blinked. Truth be told, it had been more than he had intended. His powers had just become so… _volatile_ recently…

Haraden was still alive. Luffy could feel his presence, but it was weak. It was a testament to the Haraden's immense vitality that he hadn't been burned into cinders. As it was, he was left a paralysed twitching wreck, unable to move.

After a long wait, finally Haraden managed to speak. His voice was weirdly quiet, weak and easily interpretable.

"…I… surrender…" the captain gasped in raspy croak, not even looking up. His clothes had been burnt away. His hair was singed black. He wasn't bleeding, but only because the wounds had been instantly cauterised. "…All the valuable cargo is in the lower hull… take whatever you want and leave…"

Without another word, there was the sound of dozens of weapons being dropped to the ground. As one, any privateer still standing dropped their weapons, placed their hands on their head, and knelt to the ground. The mood was sombrely quiet.

Luffy glanced around, and then turned back to his crew. Zoro just grunted. "Huh," the swordsman muttered. "…_Show-off_…"

At once, Luffy burst out in a wide grin. The atmosphere broke. They all laughed. Nami chuckled to herself, rubbing her face as she felt the exhaustion, adrenaline and exhilaration wash over her all at once. Luffy was there, to help pull her to her feet.

"Next time…" Luffy said smugly. "…_I_ go in first…"

* * *

_Later…_

Luffy sighed as he stared out over the horizon. Somehow, it looked like a completely different sight when he was staring at it from the prow of a different ship.

The Going Merry looked so small in comparison to the galleon, but at the same time Luffy couldn't help but feel the differences. The Going Merry was quick, hearty and stubborn. It wasn't a fancy ship, but it worked hard and it just felt so comfortable sailing it. The _Mary Elizabeth_ just felt big and empty.

Luffy had been musing over taking the galleon for good. Now, by unspoken consent, the crew seemed to decide just to take it for pillage.

Slowly, the captain rubbed his chin as he stared at the Going Merry. The bullet-ridden sails, bearing his Jolly Roger proudly, wafted in the wind along with the black flag. _It was a good ship_, Luffy decided finally. _A brilliant ship, in fact. He would have to give it up eventually, but that was alright. Sometimes things had to change_.

Luffy paused. After a minute's deliberation, he turned around headed into the galleon, following the presence through Haki until he found Usopp, rummaging through a box as he cradled his wounded shoulder.

"Hey, Usopp," Luffy called cheerfully. "Could you do me a favour?"

The marksman looked up. "What?"

"The Going Merry is going to need new sails," Luffy explained. "I'm pretty sure I saw some black fabric in here, could you rig a new one up for us?"

His shoulders drooped. "You realise that I'm a marksman, not a seamster, right?" Usopp protested. Luffy just raised an eyebrow, and Usopp sighed. "Fine, I'll do it. But add 'tailor' to the list of professions that we need to recruit…"

"Great." Luffy grinned brightly. "Also, one more thing, when you come draw to the Jolly Roger on it, could you change it please?"

"Change it…?" Usopp frowned, his long nose crinkling. "You want a new Jolly Roger?"

"Meh, I should have got it done a while ago," Luffy admitted, with a very faint smile. The straw hat wasn't really appropriate anymore. Not that long ago, it would have been painful for him to accept that. "I guess the time was never right."

Usopp blinked. "Um… alright. What do you want instead?"

Luffy shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we're not the Straw Hat Pirates anymore now, so maybe…" He stopped suddenly as inspiration stuck. Luffy grinned. "Say, have you ever seen the Red Hair Pirates' Jolly Roger?" Usopp nodded. "How about we base ours around that…?"

For a minute, as he eagerly discussed flag designs, Luffy was back in the East Blue again, on a much smaller ship, happily drawing out their very first flag. Somehow, creating the second flag brought back that same familiar rush, and Luffy was left smiling by the end of it.

His good mood didn't last long. It ended as soon as he went down to the lower hull and saw the pandemonium unfolding there.

* * *

"How's it going?" Nami asked curiously. Without the screaming sounds of battle, the deck of the galleon seemed strangely quiet. The _Mary Elizabeth_ was just left to float aimlessly in the wind and tide.

Wiper grunted as he and Zoro walked out on to deck. They were both still bloodied and beaten from the long fight, but their weapons were close to hand. "I've put all the prisoners in the mess hall," Zoro said simply. "None of them are making any trouble."

"What about the captain?" They were all battered from the beating that Haraden had unleashed.

"Locked him up in the captain's quarters with the ship's doctor," Zoro explained. "He could barely move, anyways."

"Brilliant. The ship is ours, then," Nami said with a broad smile. "Go help Tashigi, she's taking inventory of the pillage."

There was a strained grunt as Usopp, heavily bandaged in his toad form, and Chopper, in his human form, struggled to carry a large object out on to deck. It was a king-sized bed, with a thick mattress covered in a fluffy duvet and pillows. Nami had decided straightaway that she wanted a new bed on the Going Merry. Both Usopp and Chopper were struggling to carry it through the narrow doorway.

"Great, put it in the storage room on our ship," Nami instructed. Usopp muttered an irritated affirmative.

Nearby, Sanji scratched his head confusedly. "Why exactly do we need a bed in the storage room, anyways?" The chef asked uncertainly. "I mean, the ship is pretty cramped as it is."

Nami hesitated. "Well, it'd be… I mean, we could use the bed in case… um…"

"In case we've get any visitors," Robin said suddenly, taking over helpfully as Nami floundered, with a discrete glance at Nami. Both she and Nami were sick of having to lie on floor during their night-time rendezvous with Luffy. "It'd be good to turn the storage room into a spare bedroom."

The chef didn't argue, but his eyes narrowed and he scratched his stubble thoughtfully. Nami cleared her throat as she changed the conversation. "Anyways, we better go check on Tashigi and the others," she said firmly. "They were heading down to the lower hull, they might need help carrying everything back up."

Robin glanced at Wiper. "Also, you better go see to Aisa. It's probably safe to bring her on-board now," the archaeologist advised. "Last I checked, she was screaming that she would throw one of your belongings overboard for every ten minutes you left her behind."

Wiper groaned and rushed off towards the Going Merry, agilely sliding down the rope ladder set up between the two ships. Robin and Nami helped carry the bed down as well, leaving it on the Going Merry's bullet-ridden deck for now, before rushing back and heading down into the huge battle-torn hull of the galleon. The ship was a maze of corridors, and they passed through two separate cannon decks, the living quarters, and the storage decks, before clambering down the ladders towards the lower hull.

The bottom of the ship was flooded slightly and Nami had to toddle through ankle-deep seawater. Tashigi, along with Vivi, was at the bottom of a long, dark corridor, with a list taking stock of all the valuables they had come across. It was already a long list. Tashigi was currently kneeling in the water, cursing as she struggled to open the door into the lower hull. It was a heavy steel door covered in deadbolts, and even with the set of keys it was taking a while for her to find the right one.

"Hey, how's it going?" Nami asked curiously.

Vivi grinned. "Great. We found the privateer's manifest," she explained, holding a sheath of dirty papers that Nami couldn't make out in the dim light. "Apparently they had just come back from a big run. It says that there's around _four hundred million_ Beli worth of goods in the lower hull."

Even in the dark, Nami's eyes seemed to illuminate with joy. The navigator looked almost giddy. "Four hundred million?" She exclaimed happily. "…That's… that's…" Nami swallowed. "Holy Mariejois, I'm rich!"

Everyone turned to stare at her. She hesitated. "I mean, _we're_ rich," she corrected sheepishly.

"You realise that we've already got a giant block of gold on our ship, right?" Robin asked curiously.

"That's different," Nami snapped. "That's so much that we can't even exchange it until we reach a city big enough. But _this_ is straight profit."

There was a murmur of voices from above as Wiper headed towards them, with Aisa in tow. The little girl seemed to be jumping around excitedly at being on the ship, while Wiper became more and more exasperated with every step. Tashigi was still fumbling with the keys.

"Don't get too excited, there's still a lot of work to do," Tashigi warned. "First we've got to catalogue everything, and then we've got to load it up, and we've got repairs to do as well."

With a sharp click, the lock finally jumped open. Tashigi sighed in relief. "I mean," she continued conversationally as she heaved the door open. "… there's a hell of a lot of trouble that comes with this amount of… of … treasure – _oh_…"

Suddenly, everything went dead. Her voice trailed off weakly into a breathless gasp. The pirates were left staring into the large room and their eyes widened and mouths dropped open. Tashigi's mind went blank with shock.

Aisa was still heading towards them, chattering happily as she trundled through the flooded corridor. "Say, how big is this ship anyways?" She called excitedly. "How much treasure does it carry? Is there lots of gold? I bet there's lots of gold…"

Wiper recognised the mood first. He frowned as he saw the four women staring speechless through the doorway. "Hey, what's going on?" He demanded, pushing forward to have a check. "What's wrong – ?"

The shock was instant as his eyes processed the sight. Wiper's hands tightened into fists. There was barely a second's hesitation before he turned around at Aisa furiously. "_Aisa!_" Wiper bellowed loudly, taking the girl completely by surprise. "_Get back to the ship!_"

She stared, dumbfounded. "But you said I could have a look aro–"

"_GET BACK TO THE SHIP!_" Wiper roared, grabbing her by the arm roughly and physically dragging her away. There were tears swelling in Aisa's eyes as she tried to thrash and protest, but Wiper was merciless.

_He really does care about her_, Tashigi realised dumbly, her mind still reeling as she tried to think of what to do. The situation was instantly tense. Wiper would rather Aisa hated him rather than letting her see what was in the lower hold. There were some things that no one should have to try and explain to an eight year old…

_The West Viper Brigade has a bit of a speciality in slavery_. It had sounded so simple when Tashigi had read it from the book. It was only now that Tashigi realised she had completely failed to grasp the meaning. The West Viper Brigade operated in _specialist_ slavery.

As she was left to stare into the lower hull, the meaning couldn't be clearer. All she could see were pale, trembling skin, and wide, red, fearful eyes. The lower hull was unlit and draped in shadows, but the number of bodies still stretched as far as the eye could see.

The youngest among them looked younger than Aisa, while the oldest were barely teenagers. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of them locked up in the cramped space, and they were all girls.

And they were all chained and manacled in the dark.

It took a while for the gravity of situation to really sink in. Nami's face looked deathly pale. Vivi's hands moved up to her mouth in horror. Tashigi just stared.

"_Oh_," she muttered finally.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Firstly, an apology. It's been a stressful few months for me, with very little time for writing, but thank you to all my readers for being understanding.**

**As a bit of compensation, there's this extra long chapter now, and I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow. Enjoy :)**

**Also, I've just realised that today actually marks the one-year anniversary of this story. Thank you again, it's been a hell of a year. **


	31. Chapter 31: The Raid, Part 2

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I'm all out of pills.**

* * *

**Previously:**

**The pirates just took a ship from the West Viper Brigade privateer crew, and forced a surrender from their captain. As they raided the ship, it was revealed the lower hull was filled with female slaves...**

* * *

**Chapter 31: The Raid, Part 2**

* * *

"Get them some clothes."

That was all that Vivi remembered saying. Everything was a blur of emotion and hurt after that. There was so much running through the air, so much pain and worry, that it took a while for any of them to figure out where to start. Vivi was the first one to react. She remembered her hands clenching and her body numbing and then that order came out of her mouth.

The slaves were all wearing dirty rags and stained cloths. They were all hungry, thirsty and scared, chained up in pitch darkness, but somehow proper clothes seemed to be the most important thing. They had to break all of the chains and get some proper clothes.

None of the girls screamed as the pirates approached, but their eyes were wide and fearful. _They had run out of screams_, Vivi realised dumbly. That was the second thing she realised. The first thing Vivi noticed was just how _young_ they all were.

With every frenzied and pained stare she received, Vivi felt like a bit of her soul died slightly. The princess was crying softly as she had to walk into the hull and cut the chains, one by one.

Nami tried to reassure the slaves, but they still recoiled and tried to hide as the pirates approached. The girls were all so skinny, and pale. There was so much fear and pain in the air it was like walking through an electric storm.

It was only as the chains slowly started to break and the slaves started to stagger outwards, that was when the real crying began.

It was so emotionally devastating that Vivi felt her head spin. There were so many helpless young girls chained up in that hull that she never even knew where to begin. They were all hugging each other, and then they were hugging her as blades of sand cut through the chains.

Behind her, Vivi vaguely heard Tashigi's voice, repeating the same words constantly. "You're free now, it's okay, you're free now, it's okay, it's okay…"

The words felt so hollow as they echoed through the dark chamber. Even through all the tears behind the red eyes, every one of the girls had the same blank, tortured expression. It was an expression that had been through horrors that no one should ever, ever have to go through. Only in Vivi's darkest, most horrifying nightmares could she imagine what someone would have to go through to earn that expression.

Those nightmares seemed to linger in the shadows of the room.

Every time Vivi saw that expression, her spirit cracked a little bit more. Eventually, the princess was left feeling completely numb as she staggered through the huddle of bodies, splitting chains while the tears streamed madly down her cheeks.

* * *

The atmosphere shifted slowly. Luffy was rummaging through a pile of crates when he felt the shift through his Haki. The pain in the air was enough to make him gasp for breath. At once, the captain was rushing through the galleon, heading straight down to the bottom of the ship. He heard the sound of mad sobbing, and his body tensed. Without another thought, he disintegrated into a bolt of lightning to get there faster.

"Get blankets!" Nami was ordering loudly. Her voice was firm, but there was a waver to it. She was yelling to hold back tears. "We need more blankets now!"

Luffy appeared in a flash. Sanji was there before him, and for once the chef looked completely and utterly lost for words. His cigarette fell out of his mouth as he gaped in stunned silence. Luffy turned the corner, and suddenly saw that the corridor was filled with unfamiliar faces. He only had a moment to take it all in.

There were dozens of women flooding out of the hull. They were all young, but it was hard to tell underneath all the dirt. Luffy gasped as he suddenly looked at the sea of dirty blond and brown hair, pale skin, and filthy rags.

_They're eyes are all red_, he realised dumbly, _and they're all crying_.

The girls were staggering out weakly, collapsing into the corners of the corridor. Sanji moved to help one of them instinctively, but then she recoiled and thrashed away from his touch. Sanji looked completely stunned as the girl glared at him with a mixture of hatred and fear, screaming hoarsely as she flinched.

"Sanji!" Nami was there instantly, pushing the chef roughly away angrily. "Get out of here!"

Nami's eyes were red too. Sanji blinked repeatedly. "Wha…what's going on?" He stammered weakly. Nami looked furious. "…I just want to help…"

Nami hesitated. She was angry because it was easier to be angry than to be hurt, Luffy realised. "Just… get out of here for now," Nami said firmly, in a quieter voice. Sanji's presence was distressing. She glanced at Luffy. "You too. In fact, keep all of the _men_ away from them."

Sanji looked lost. The hurt stares of all the girls were getting to him. "We need as many clothes and blankets as you can find," Nami said firmly. "And we need water and food. Lots of it."

The chef blinked, but then nodded. "R-right." His body was shaking, but he seemed to pull himself together. "On it."

In an instant, he was racing back up the ladder. Luffy looked at Nami confusedly. The corridor was getting more and more crowded. "Nami… who are all these girls?" He asked quietly, gently grabbing her by the arm and pulling her to one side.

She stared at him. It physically hurt him to see the pain in her eyes. "Luffy…" She said softly, eyes flickering. "They were in the lower hull. They were slaves."

It took a while for Luffy to process that statement. He blinked repeatedly. He paused. "Nami…" He said slowly. "Why are they all women?"

The atmosphere was cold. Nami's grip on his arm tightened. Her voice nearly faltered. "…They're…They were going to be sold as _sex_ slaves, Luffy," she said in a voice so quiet it was barely audible. She sounded like she was seconds away from breaking down into tears.

"Oh," Luffy replied dumbly. His brain struggled to keep up. As the meaning of the statement slowly stuck in, the more the outrage began to register. His mouth dropped open. "…But… but…" he said slowly. "… why are they all so young?"

Some of the girls were children. Nami didn't reply, but the tears were flowing madly now. Luffy blinked. The realisation clicked. "_Oh_."

"…Luffy…" Nami said in a choked voice, drawing him in for a hug. Luffy's hands clenched tightly.

He took several long, deep breaths, carefully wiping the tears from Nami's eyes. His head was spinning madly.

"Blankets, water, food," Luffy muttered slowly. Focus on what has to be done now. Everything else comes later. "I can get those."

Nami nodded, feeling everything that was unsaid pass between them. She sniffed, pulling away from the hug. "Right. As many as possible."

"Ok," Luffy nodded. His fingernails were digging into his palms so sharply it felt like they might draw blood.

Nami turned around and went to go comfort the growing number of slaves. Luffy turned around and rushed up the ladder.

It was only when he was outside, did he finally stop, and gasp for breath.

That was the rage, the cold fury, really started to kick in. The air crackled with static furious static.

"Usopp!" Luffy shouted loudly, rushing over to the sniper. Usopp was working on the sail, hunched over a sheet of black fabric, struggling to sew it with one arm in a sling.

He glanced up in surprise. "Where did you put all the privateers from this ship?" Luffy demanded suddenly, no time for small talk.

The sniper blinked. "In the crew quarters. The mess hall."

"Move them. Lock them up in the storage rooms," Luffy ordered. His body was flooding with anger. Usopp frowned and looked ready to argue, but then he saw Luffy's expression.

The captain took a deep breath. "Just… _just keep them out of my sight_," Luffy growled darkly, his eyes sparking with lightning before he rushed to find blankets, water, and food.

* * *

He had no idea how long it lasted, but it was dark by the time they cleared the lower hull and moved the former slaves, one by one, up onto the deck. Luffy tried to keep count of how many there were. He lost count around seventy, but more just kept on coming.

One by one, they rummaged and handed out blankets and food. Some of the girls still shrieked and recoiled whenever Luffy approached. Others were quietly appreciative. The worst were the ones that didn't react at all; who just sat and stared in empty silence, the ones too hurt to even register that the chains weren't there anymore.

None of the pirates talked much. There had been plans to have a celebration after they had taken the galleon. Instead, the mood had never been more sombre.

It was the most emotionally devastating afternoon he had ever had. At one point he had to console a little girl, only about six years old, who clutched at his leg and begged him in tearful sobs to take her back to her parents. But the worst was when he found another girl, who looked around twelve, who just stared at him with blank eyes and asked quietly when the 'big men' would be coming back for her.

Twice, Luffy had to take a break, head to a quiet corner of the ship, and repeatedly punch holes through the ship to let out his frustration.

Vivi was the one who managed to take charge. The princess was everywhere, handing out food, hugging and reassuring the girls until they stopped crying. Luffy could only watch in awe as he realised slowly how much the princess really, truly cared. Not for the first time, Luffy felt himself twinge as he thought about how, somehow, Vivi managed to have enough compassion for everyone.

Watching Vivi do it was the only thing that stopped Luffy from breaking down completely.

"What's going to happen now?" A girl asked Luffy quietly. She was one of the older ones; she looked early twenties, with dark hair and a sullen face. "You're _pirates_, aren't you?"

She spat the word like it was curse. "We're not bad pirates," Luffy promised. "And I promise you're going to be safe now. We'll make sure you're alright."

She never responded, but her eyes were tainted with distrust and suspicion. Still, she never protested because she knew she never had any other choice. She had been left completely helpless. The thought made Luffy cringe.

After brief pause, Luffy placed the pile of blankets he was carrying on the floor. "Hold on," he told her quietly, before rushing off below deck. It took him a few minutes of rummaging around through the debris and the privateer's belongings, but he finally found what he was looking for. Luffy raced back up onto the deck towards the girl.

"Here, take this," he offered, holding out an old, brown flintlock, offering the handle to her. The barrel was charred from use and the handle was smooth, worn and plain. The girl glared at the gun suspiciously. "Be careful, though, it's loaded."

After a long pause, she slowly reached out and took the weapon. Her hands were trembling. "Be careful with it," Luffy warned. "Don't wave it around, of course, but if it makes you feel safer, then you should keep it with you."

Without another word, the girl quietly tucked the weapon into her blanket. She was clutching the handle tightly. She didn't look at him in the eye, Luffy noticed. "Where are you from?" He asked gently, after a pause. "Do you have anywhere to go back to?"

"No." Her reply was barely a whisper. Her eyes were dark. "My parents are dead. No one here has anywhere. That's why they took us."

Luffy raised an eyebrow. "Some of us are orphans," she explained quietly. "Others are children of war. Or they used to belong to countries outside of the World Government. Urchins, brats, or children of outlaws. As far as anyone cares, we don't exist."

There was something about the simple matter-of-fact statement that made Luffy flinch. "We care," he promised simply.

Later, Luffy found Nami hidden next to the tangerine grove, crying quietly into her hand. They were both so emotionally drained that neither of them managed to speak. Instead, Luffy just held her tightly, and Nami sagged into his body, crying into shoulder.

"…It could have been me…" Nami muttered silently, between light, sobbing gasps. "… _I_ was an orphan of war…If Bellmere didn't adopt me and Nojiko, then I might have ended up on a ship like too… I might have…"

Luffy had no idea what to say. Instead, he just hugged her tighter. After what seemed like hours, he felt her breathing becoming more rhythmic, and slowly Luffy shifted. Nami yawned tiredly, resting her head on her shoulder as he walked with her towards the women's quarters. They kissed softly as Luffy tucked Nami, and the navigator was snoring softly by the time Luffy left the room.

Everything was finally winding down for the night. The girls had all been given blankets and pillows, while Wiper and Sanji stood guard over the captured privateers. Luffy passed Robin keeping watch for the night. The archaeologist had been the most aloof of all the pirates, but Luffy could still see the flicker in her eyes that showed just how disturbed she really was.

Luffy knew Robin, and he knew that she tended to acted more aloof the more invested she became. Luffy and Robin shared a brief, silent moment, before Luffy climbed up the ladder into the galleon. There was someone else that he needed to see tonight.

He found Vivi standing outside the lower hull, uncaringly ankle deep in seawater, as she looked into the small room. Metal chains still scattered across the floor. The princess' long blue hair was unkempt and sprawled across her shoulders, and her dress was stained and dirty. Her body was still cut and bruised from the battle, but she never seemed to care about her appearance even slightly.

"Vivi," Luffy asked softly, approaching quietly. "Are you alright?"

There was a pause. She nodded slowly. Vivi kept on looking into the hull fixedly, staring at the ribs of the ship and dark, cramped space. Luffy carefully approached from behind.

"You were really great with the girls today," he said in a hushed whisper, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder reassuring. "Are you sure you're–"

"All the valuable cargo is in the lower hull," Vivi said suddenly, not looking around. Her voice was wooden.

Luffy frowned. "What?"

"That's what he said. '_The valuable cargo is in the lower hull_'. Those were his exact words," Vivi explained. Her eyes were raw, but her brow was firm and determined. Her lips were pursed. "The captain, Haraden – that was what he said."

Luffy didn't respond. He didn't know how to. Vivi turned to stare at her, eyes swelled with so much pain and anger. Her hands were shaking. "_He_ called them cargo, Luffy," Vivi hissed furiously. "_Cargo_."

* * *

Early next morning, the pirates had their first ever crew meeting. They had had plenty of get-togethers before, but this felt different than all the others. It was stiffer, more formal, and a lot more sombre. By unspoken agreement, they all filed into the lounge in the Going Merry, dropping around the table as they tried to figure out what to do.

"We'll have to give the slaves the galleon," Nami explain after a pause. The statement went almost without saying. Her voice was dry. "That's the only ship big enough to hold them. It's too damaged to sail right now, but we can fix up the masts and the rudder, and then we'll escort them to the next port. After that, well, they'll have to go their own ways."

"Can any of the girls sail?" Sanji asked with concern.

"A few of the older ones, maybe," Nami admitted. "But we can teach them how to fairly quickly. For a short trip it should be fine."

"Even if they get to the next port…" Robin said in a quiet, intently unemotional voice. "… Do any of them have anywhere to go?"

There was a long pause before anyone replied. "No," Nami said finally. "But we don't have anywhere to take them, either."

"There's enough of the privateer's money on the galleon to spread around. The girls can take all of it." Luffy said firmly. "The ship might be damaged, but it's still well-supplied. We can make sure they've got enough to survive."

"How long will the repairs take?" Zoro asked curiously.

All eyes turned to Usopp, and Usopp looked at Conis. The sniper and the Dial mechanic were the closest things to shipwrights that they had. "Maybe a week, max," Usopp said finally, looking uncertain. "There are repairs to do on the Going Merry as well though. We won't be able to fix anything properly, but we can patch it up enough. Should last until the next island."

It was a lot of work to do at sea. Idly, the ships should be docked and stationary for that level of repairs. The Grand Line was hardly the safest place to do that type of work, and they'd be floating aimlessly until everything was done. It'd make them vulnerable for sea monsters and pirates as well. All of the doubts seemed to pass wordlessly through the air.

"Do it," Luffy said firmly. "We've got to make sure that they are safe."

There was a long awkward pause. Finally, Wiper sighed. "Alright, I'll ask the awkward question," the raider said finally. His eyes were dark. "…So what are we going to do about the _privateers_ then?"

Aisa wasn't present, Luffy realised. Wiper had done his absolute best to keep her away from all the drama of last night. "None of the privateers are resisting. No one is making trouble." Usopp said finally. "We just keep them locked up and drop them off at the next island."

"Aye, that might work," Wiper said with a nod. "But there are what? Three hundred plus privateers on that ship?" The final count had come to about two hundred and twenty slaves locked up in the hold. "And _we_ might be strong enough to keep them in line, but as soon as we leave, what do you think is going to happen then? As soon as we're out of sight, the privateers are just going to grab the girls and shove them in chains again."

Nobody replied. Wiper just grunted and continued. His fingers were twitching on an imaginary trigger. "And let's just say everything goes fine," Wiper said dryly. "We get to the next port and kick the West Viper Brigade off on dry land. As soon as that happens, they're just going to go straight back out and get a new ship, and then they are going to go capture even more _little girls_ to fill up their hull."

"We accepted their surrender," Tashigi said quietly. She knew where this conversation led. "They're under _our_ protection now."

The raider's face twisted. "_Some people don't deserve protection_," he growled angrily.

The atmosphere was dangerous. Luffy could almost feel the schism in the air. Everybody was just so tense, and angry. "And what would you have us do?" Conis demanded, her normally soft voice turning sharp.

"We kill them."

It wasn't Wiper who replied.

At once, everybody turned in surprise to stare at Vivi, sitting stiffly at the back of the crowd. The princess' voice was quiet, but eyes were firm.

Nami's eyes widened in shock. "Vivi…"

She didn't meet the navigators gaze. "I could do it," Vivi said quietly, with a gentle nod. She turned slightly and focused firmly. There was no waver in that voice, just a simple statement of fact. "I could kill them."

Luffy felt his stomach churn. The image of normal Vivi, laughing, smiling and immensely compassionate, flashed through his mind. The thing that really scared him was that he believed her.

Nami looked gobsmacked. "You're talking about _execution_!" She protested. "It's slaughter, it's murder!"

"If it saves some other girls in the future, then I could do it," Vivi replied quietly. She was crying softly, but it didn't affect her voice.

"It's against the Pirates Laws," Tashigi objected. "We can't do it."

The chef paused, visibly uncertain. "She's right." Sanji's voice was quiet. "We can't do it. There's no chivalry like this."

"Fuck chivalry and fuck the Pirate Laws." Wiper retorted, eyes flashing. "They lost their right to decency as soon as they chained up and sold _children_."

He glanced at Zoro, looking for support. The swordsman didn't respond, or even blinked. Every part of Zoro that believed in honour, the part that followed his sensei's teaching, the swordsman part, objected at the concept. And then the rest of him growled and hungered for blood.

Luffy was quiet as the debate became more heated. Chopper looked visibly sick at the suggestion, while Usopp stammered and tried to offer alternatives. But at the same time, he recognised the quiet willing in Robin's eyes, while Vivi was absolutely adamant in her resolve. Wiper was absolutely furious and fixated on vengeance, and not even Zoro could object properly.

The captain didn't say a word. He could feel all of the pain in the air, the anger, the hate and hurt. There was a loud crash as Wiper stormed off his seat and kicked over the table in rage. Sanji jumped up and met the raider head-on, and for a second it looked like the two of them would come to blows. The words became louder, more heated. Luffy glanced to the side, watching Nami and Vivi arguing like he had never seen them argue before.

_This is the first, real argument that the crew has ever had_, Luffy realised suddenly.

The thought was absolutely and utterly terrifying.

Luffy felt his heart pounding so loudly it was deafening. He could handle fights, he could handle the life-or-death moment but for one tense, horrifying moment, he had absolutely no idea if he could _this_…

"Enough," Luffy growled. Nobody heard him over the ruckus. His hands clenched so tightly it hurt. "**Enough!**"

The blast of Haki was enough to knock them all backwards. Nobody collapsed as the wave of power hit them, but they all flinched like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown at them. Vivi winced in pain, hand flying up to her head to steady herself.

The air turned quiet. All eyes shifted to Luffy. The captain gritted his teeth. He didn't meet anybody's gaze.

"Usopp, Conis, could you please organise the repair effort?" Luffy asked finally, keeping his voice determinedly steady. "Try to get as many of the girls involved as possible. Everyone else, we need to get the ships cleaned up. We need supplies, and we need to make sure the rigging holds. Tashigi, could you please handle the inventory, and Nami, could you please get a course set?"

There was an edge to his voice that said it was final. Luffy wasn't smiling or joking as he gazed around the room. "Everyone, there's a lot to do," he continued. It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep his voice firm. He hesitated just before stood up. All eyes were on him, expectant. He faltered slightly, before taking a deep breath and walking towards the door. "I'll be back soon. Vivi, could you come with me please?"

The princess nodded and left the room with him. It was early morning, the sun was shining brightly, and everything felt so quiet as they left the Going Merry and climbed wordlessly up towards the galleon. There were makeshift beds, blankets and sleeping bodies littered across the battle-torn deck. Luffy took a deep breath as he tried to focus.

_I took this ship_, he told himself firmly. _My responsibility_.

"Vivi, could you get all of the girls set up properly?" He asked quietly. "There should be enough beds in the crew quarters, just try and make sure they're comfortable."

She nodded. "Alright," she said cautiously.

Luffy hesitated, turning around to look at her firmly in the eyes. "Vivi could you promise me something?" He asked slowly. The air was so still. "Please, please, don't ever stop caring."

She frowned, feeling the moment stretch out. He moved into hug her gently. Her body stiffened as his arms wrapped around her shoulders softly. In truth, that mercilessness that he had seen in her eyes had frightened Luffy more than any monster had ever had.

"You care about everyone. You're the most amazingly compassionate person I've ever had the honour of knowing," Luffy explained quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Don't ever lose that. I need it. I really need you keep on caring so much."

Vivi tried to speak. The words jammed in her throat. Her heart was pounding. The hug barely last five seconds, but it felt like a timeless moment.

Luffy pulled away reluctantly, sighing and rubbing his head as he turned and headed into the galleon. Just as he opened the door, Vivi recovered enough to call out. "What are you going to do?"

The captain paused. He turned and smiled, but never said a word. _I've got absolutely no idea_, he thought silently, before closing the door behind him and walking straight towards the prow of the ship.

* * *

The captain's cabin was a large room at the prow the galleon, right behind the viper figurehead. The door was intricately carved oak that had been fitted with furnished glass, but was cracked and shattered from the battle. Luffy didn't even hesitate as he pushed open the door and walked in.

The room was big; high ceiling to accommodate Haraden's huge size, a large desk covered in papers at the centre, with a massive bed in the corner. The walls were covered by ornate bookshelves, while the floor was cluttered with expensive-looking lockboxes and chests, but the room was still furnished with thick curtains, polished wood floors, and a feel of focused professionalism. There was a balcony leading out to the prow of the _Mary Elizabeth_.

The captain himself was lying sprawled out in his bed. Without his heavy boots and uniform, and wearing only a gown, Haraden looked slightly smaller, but not much. His breathing was slow and steady, like a giant bear, but his skin was still charred and burnt, every vein throbbing. He barely looked look strong enough to stay conscious. Haraden turned to stare at Luffy as he approached, dark eyes glaring out from beneath a shaggy beard and singed hair.

"_Ah see ye'v cam, ach_–" Haraden paused, his voice breaking with a coughing fit. "–I mean, I see you've finally came. I've been expecting a visit; let's get this over with." His voice was still heavily accented, but it was not as indecipherable as it had been before, and he sounded feebly weak compared to how thunderously loud he had been when he was fighting.

With a great wince and a muffled cry of pain, he slowly pulled himself up until he was sitting up in bed. Every movement was strained. It was a testament to his insane stamina and vitality that he could move at all. "Got to admit, you pack one hell of a punch for a wee lad," the captain conceded, clutching at his side in pain.

Luffy didn't respond. Luffy stood completely rigid. "Anyways, it's all here," Haraden continued, motioning around his room. "There's a bag of coins in that chest over there. That sword by the desk…" He pointed to a huge, heavy blade shaped like a meat cleaver. "…I never had much use for it myself, but the fellow I pawned it from swore that it was a Skilful Grade sword. There are maps on the shelf there, those are fairly valuable. Hmm… what else? Some of the books over there were pretty pricey – really, just taking whatever you fancy, it's all around."

His voice was unhappy and weak, but resigned. Haraden's eyes narrowed as he stared at Luffy. "You took this ship fair and square," the captain continued, his breathing wheezy. "So take your plunder. By the Pirate Laws, right? Let's do this like gentlemen, aye?"

Luffy had to take a deep breath as he met Haraden's gaze. "We looked in the lower hull," he said finally.

"Aye? We were due to Sabaody Archipelago – would have fetched a good profit from that cargo."

_Cargo_. Luffy's eyes narrowed. "Those were _people_."

Haraden shrugged. The movement caused him to grunt in pain. "Cargo is cargo, kid."

There was a long silence. Finally, Luffy had to ask. "And why were they all so young?"

The giant raised an eyebrow. "There's a certain _type_ of gentlemen that prefers them young."

Luffy's nostrils flared. "It's simple _economics_!" Haraden snapped. "They've got the demand, and the money, so I give the supply. If it wasn't me, it'd be someone else. I supply direct to the _World Nobles_, kid, and money like that isn't used to be disappointed."

"You kidnap children."

"There's no shortage of little girls in the world. So what if I take the ones that no one will miss?"

"Who do you sell them to?" Luffy demanded.

Haraden shrugged. "The best of my pickings goes to the World Nobles," he explained. "But lots of kings, merchants, even Marines higher-ups are customers. Sometimes I even give them away for free, just for good faith. If nothing else, there are always plenty of brothels that'll buy them." The giant stared at Luffy. "Tell you what, you escort them to market, we split the pay day, fifty-fifty."

There wasn't a reply. "There's a hell of profit in it for you, even more if you want to work together. I'm willing to put all this behind us," Haraden offered. "You've got the muscle, I've got the business contacts; together we could make a killing."

"…A _killing_…" Luffy repeated, slowly. His face twisted. "…Poor choice of words."

Haraden just scoffed. "If it weren't for me, they'd die in the streets. Their lives ain't my concern, and they shouldn't be yours either."

The moment froze. The two captains stared at each other. "You want to see something?" Haraden asked finally. "My priced possession?"

With a grunt, he pulled himself forward and carefully picked something up off his bedside table. It looked so small between his meaty fingers. It was an old cloth doll, crudely stitched together but in the rough shape of a person. It had buttons for eyes, and it was wearing a short purple skirt and a shoulder-less vest, with what looked like a pudgy red snake stitched around its shoulders. An old, little girl's doll.

"I keep this as a memento," Haraden explained, looking at the doll wistfully. "First ever sale I ever made. Damn well the most dangerous one too, but also the most profitable. I snatched three girls off the ship of the Kuja Pirates themselves – the most deadly, merciless crew of bitches to ever roam the sea – right in broad daylight, and then I got out the hell out of there before anyone even realised."

His face split in a broad grin. "You've got any idea what three prime, pure-bred Kuja children go for? They were running over themselves trying to buy them off me. I sold to Mariejois direct, and got privateer status for my trouble. I earned so much money from that one sale that I had this whole ship commissioned and built and I still had a fortune left over."

Luffy didn't react. Haraden stared at the doll wistfully. "That was seventeen years ago. I founded this whole _business_ on that sale. So I kept this doll, just as a little reminder of that."

"I see." Luffy nodded. "Tell me something – it doesn't really make any difference, but I'm curious – do you have any regrets?"

Haraden scoffed. "Oh aye." He gently placed the doll on the table. "I regret that I've never been able to make another sale like it. Davy Jones knows I've tried."

"Right." Luffy's body felt weirdly numb. He spent a couple of seconds staring at that back of his hand, before looking towards the little doll next to Haraden. The doll looked so tiny in the hand of the giant. "Hey can you walk?" Luffy asked finally. "There's something I want to show you."

The giant grumbled and winced as he tried to pull himself out of bed. Luffy went to his side and helped him stand, with Haraden's beefy hand resting across his shoulders as he dragged himself up. Haraden's face was beetroot red and sickly as he stood up. Every broad step the giant took was a shambling limp as Luffy led him slowly towards the end of the cabin, and out onto the balcony.

The sharp sea air hit them. The wind was soft and gentle, while the sun was bright but warm. The waves lapped softly against the side of the galleon. Luffy paused as he stared out into the horizon; it was completely flat, and the sky and sea seemed to merge somewhere in the distance.

"I love the ocean," Luffy commented wistfully, staring out emptily. "Really, really love it. Everything is just so… so big and _free_. It's like everyone has a place here."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye. Haraden was staring out as well. Luffy took a deep breath, feeling the smell of the sea hit him. "Even men like _you_," Luffy added after a pause, with just hint of an edge in his voice.

Haraden just scoffed. "Fuck you," he said simply. "If you don't want to be a part of my business, fine. Take whatever you want, you're the pirates, but I'm protected by the Pirate Laws. From the moment you accepted my surrender, you can't touch me or my crew."

Luffy didn't respond for a while. "_Probably_," he said finally.

Haraden's eyes narrowed. "Battle is fine, murder is fine, but even pirates have rules. Betrayal of the sanctity of the ship, though – now _that's_ something that not even the most cold-blooded pirate would do. Any pirate worth his salt would die before crossing _that_ line. It's on the same level as killing a crewmate, or breaking the Davy Back Fight. Do you have any idea the amount of hell would that drop on to you if you ever did?" Haraden glanced at Luffy, and then turned away and shook his head. "Nah. Any pirate that went there would be no better than a goddamn _Revolutionary_."

Luffy nodded. "Yep."

Haraden sighed, resting against the railing to support himself. "Can't see what you're so upset about, anyways," the giant continued, conversationally. "The strong have dominion over the weak – _that's_ what's right. I ship people in the same way others ship cattle, what's the difference? I've been at this game for a long time, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that nobody is evil – we're just part of the _system_."

"Sounds about right."

Haraden grinned. "If you still feel outraged, why not take a couple of the girls for yourself? Hell, take a dozen. Life is short, kid, so take it from me – you've got take it whenever the opportunity present itself."

"Do you know what?" Luffy asked pleasantly, still staring over the horizon. He reached around to pat Haraden on the back softly. "_I couldn't agree more_."

There wasn't a bolt of lightning. Instead, there was just a small, sharp stream of current pulsing out of Luffy's palm, directly into Haraden's spine. The giant stiffened and convulsed, his face twisting in agony as he tried to scream, but he couldn't even move as the electricity burned through his nervous system.

Luffy didn't even look around. Haraden gasped weakly, but in less than a second his huge body was completely paralysed. Luffy just kept on staring at the horizon.

"Please don't scream," Luffy said finally, eyes fixed on the distance. Haraden's stared at him with huge, frantic bloodshot eyes. "I would hate to scare the girls any more than they already are."

Without another word, Luffy casually gave Haraden a light push forward. The giant toppled, falling straight over the railing and into the ocean. His huge, paralysed body hit the water with a light splash. Luffy glimpsed Haraden's bloodshot eyes between the waves for a second, but he sunk quietly.

Luffy held his breath and started to count. In just less than ten seconds, the ocean had completely swallowed the body, leaving not a trace.

The captain spent the next few minutes staring at the horizon. Then, he sighed, turned around, and slowly walked away.

He ignored all the gold and treasure, and picked up the doll on his way out.

* * *

By the time Luffy walked out onto deck again, the morning dissolved into a loud bustle. They were already starting work on the repairs, and Sanji was busy feeding all of the girls from a huge pot of stew. Everything was busy as the ships tried to get organised again.

Vivi was waiting for him as he walked out from below deck, arms folded as she stared out over the sea of former slaves. "What did you do with the crew?" She asked simply.

Luffy sighed. "I locked them up in the lower hull. There was plenty of space, and they can't cause any trouble there. I figured we'll leave them there, and then when we go, well, it's up to the girls what they want to do with the privateers."

"Right." Vivi nodded. "And what about the captain?"

"He was too big to fit in the lower hull," Luffy said simply.

The chains would never have held someone like Haraden. The unspoken meaning dangled in the air. Vivi hesitated, but then she nodded. Luffy paused for a while, but then started to walk away.

"I could have done it," Vivi said finally, taking him by surprise. Her gaze was defiant. "I could have done it."

Luffy turned, eyes softening as he looked at her. "I know," he said simply, with a weak smile. "You're _stronger_ than me, Vivi – you always have been. I did it because I never want you to have to do something so weak."

Their eyes met. Luffy gingerly took a step forward, placing his hand on Vivi's shoulder. Her skin was soft. The last day had been so emotionally exhausting, he felt absolutely shattered. Luffy took a deep breath, trying to find the words.

"I need you to keep me strong as well," Luffy managed finally, his voice low.

The moment stretched on for a long time. They were standing face to face, barely breathing as they looked at each other. She wasn't wearing any makeup, there were dark shadows under her eyes, and her hair was unwashed. Her skin was pale and her clothes were baggy, but, not for the first time, Luffy was struck by how absolutely beautiful she was.

It took his breath away. Luffy stood, completely still, for a long time, waiting for her to reply.

And then, Vivi's eyes flickered, and she nodded quietly.

Luffy paused, but then he nodded as well and turned and walked away.

The moment shattered. Vivi took a deep breath, feeling the exhilaration, the doubt, the fear, wash over her body. She was left staring at Luffy's back. She closed her eyes and her mind went blank. Her body was trembling.

_Luffy…_ she thought slowly, wondering what to do, _I …_

And then the trembling stopped.

"Hey!" Vivi called suddenly. Luffy stopped and turned.

He never even had time to gasp before suddenly Vivi shoved him roughly against the wall and pressed her lips against his. She still tasted like grapes. It took a few seconds for his brain to reboot, but then he was holding her tightly and kissing her back…

* * *

_Two days later…_

"Let us out!" A voice screamed angrily as Vivi lit a candle and opened the door. The lower hull was as dark, as cramped and as horrible as ever, only now it was a lot more crowded. As soon as the princess walked in, there were dozens of angry glares, curses and rattling chains directed at her.

Vivi deliberately blocked it out. The last days with Luffy had been an absolute high as the repairs took place, but the only downside had been the regular trip into the lower hull to feed their new prisoners Vivi nose curled from the smell as she walked gingerly through the rows of prisoners, carrying a large basket and dropping pouches of food and water into their laps.

"We don't belong here!" One of them hissed at her furiously. Vivi paused.

"You're right," she nodded, eyes narrowing. "It's absolutely _awful_ to keep people locked up like this, isn't it?"

The privateer's eyes bulged and contorted in rage. The former slaves were only just starting to recover, but the scars and the trauma hadn't faded. _At least these men would be let out as soon as it was safe to do so_, Vivi told herself quietly, struggling to keep herself calm.

He obviously didn't see it that way. "You fucking bitch!" He screeched, struggling against the chains as he thrashed. With all the contempt he could muster, the privateer spat at Vivi, a glob of saliva landing on Vivi's dress. The princess recoiled in disgust.

On cue, the other privateers started spiting at her as well, from all sides. Vivi's hands clenched, and she turned around and walked quickly towards the door, leaving the rest of the food in the basket. They were still howling insults and obscenities at her as she left. Vivi could feel the rage boil inside of her, and it took all of her concentration to keep it under control.

The lower hull was chaos. Just before she slammed the door shut behind her and left, Vivi turned and glared. "**Be quiet!**" Vivi hissed, and the door crashed closed.

She never stuck around to notice the dozen privateers collapse unconscious to floor, foaming at the mouth.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Let's go over the plan again," Dagmund demanded irritably, slamming his cup on the table. The white-haired dwarf looked annoyed, but then again that was pretty much his typical face.

"We have not been through the plan once, actually," Hamilton corrected, too distracted by the morning crossword. "That is because it is my plan, and there is no need for you to worry about it."

"Hmph!" Dagmund snorted, glancing around the cabin in annoyance. The small ship was currently at sea. It had been an easy journey, but boring. They had spent the last week mostly confined to the small cabin. "We were ordered to protect the golden bell. _That_ was the mission."

"The others can handle that just fine," Hamilton said simply. The rest of their Revolutionary cell had been left behind on Jaya, but Hamilton had taken his crew out on a special mission. There were five of them, in the small skip, disguised as a merchant's vessel.

"So you're just abandoning everything from what that snow-woman told you?" Dagmund demanded. "You trust her that much?"

"Trust? No." Hamilton replied distractedly, still not looking up. It had been a very long and interesting conversation with Monet. Afterwards, no one was quite sure what had happened with her. "But it is worth investigating. The idea of the Ancient Weapons reappearing is… troubling."

Dagmund didn't look convinced. "We are simply heading to have another talk with Nico Robin, regarding the Poneglyths," Hamilton reassured. His pen hovered over the newspaper, struggling to fill in the crossword box. "A more _thorough_ talk this time."

"Why bother arguing with him?" Namami sighed, reclining on a small sofa with his feet on a coffee table. His cowboy was on the floor as he polished his revolvers absentmindedly. "You know that he's always right about things like this. We're the muscle, he makes the plans."

"Please keep your feet off the table," Hamilton chided softly. Namami grunted he dropped his long legs onto the floor.

"It's still not right," Dagmund complained. "First the chief of staff vanishes, then the Marines get feisty, and now the boss is being all twitchy. It's not the right time to go off on a tangent."

"No." Hamilton sighed. "It is exactly the right time."

There was a thump from the adjoining room, followed by an irritated groan. A few minutes later, Bloodgrin stomped out from the bedroom, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It was well-past noon, but the scarred man had always kept strange sleeping habits. He blinked repeated, wincing from the faint light filtering in through the portholes.

"Will somebody shut those goddamn curtains?" Bloodgrin snarled. He had always been sensitive to light, and he was most certainly not a morning person. "It's like a bloody hotbox in here…"

As soon as Bloodgrin walked into the room, Daisuke, who had been trying to stay out of the argument, stood up and scuttled out the way. The fat man fled from Bloodgrin like a giant rabbit keeping his distance from an irritable wolf. It had always been amazing to Hamilton how any man as large as Daisuke could have the mentality and courage of a particularly sensitive little girl.

"How long are we going to be at sea?" Bloodgrin snapped angrily, slamming the curtains shut and dropping down into his seat.

"Could you please not take that tone with me?" Hamilton asked with a dangerously polite smile, before answering. "The next island won't be long. We'll likely meet up with the pirates then, and then we'll be able to decide our next move."

Bloodgrin growled. "It's been a week since I've cut anyone, though!" He moaned. "By the blood, I need a good fight…"

From the other side of the room, Daisuke whimpered, and tried to hide behind a chair, like an elephant hiding behind a pebble. Namami just raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Bloodgrin. "You looking to start something here?" He asked, unconcerned.

Bloodgrin grunted. "Maybe after breakfast."

The hours passed slowly, and lazily. Bloodgrin sat and stewed for a while, before walking away to sharpen his sword. Namami cleaned his guns, and then kicked off his boots and started clipping his toenails, much to Dagmund's disgust. Daisuke raided the larder of another two bags of chips, before hobbling away for a nap. All the while, Hamilton just sat at the table, hunched over the crossword.

Eventually, their ship shuddered slightly. No one reacted straight away. There were sounds from up on deck. Finally, Hamilton sighed. "Namami?" He asked eventually. "Could you please go check what's happening?"

Grumbling, the cowboy dropped on his hat, holstered his guns and trudged up the steps leading out onto deck. There were voices from outside as he pushed the door open.

"Freeze!" A loud, boisterous voice bellowed suddenly. Namami blinked. The decked was crawling with unfamiliar people, all flamboyantly dressed and clutching guns. There was another ship, a large three-mast galleon, sailing next to the Revolutionaries' skip. Namami glimpsed black sails and a Jolly Roger, as well as fox-shaped figurehead. "This is a hold up!"

"Aye!" A large man shaped like a ape tittered. He was giggling. "And we challenge you to a game of Davy Back–"

"No no no, Hamburg!" A girl snapped exasperatedly. She was slender, with dark blue hair between a purple and pink striped hat, and a long, pointed nose. She wore a pink jumpsuit, unzipped down to her navel, revealing a bikini top. "We only use the Davy Back Fight Game for _pirates_! These guys aren't pirates, so we're just going to rob them the old-fashioned way!"

"Right!" The ape-like Hamburg tittered. He was clutching a very large hand cannon. "We're just going to rob you then!"

Namami didn't react. He scratched his head while the pirates surrounding him cheered. "That's right!" The first speaker screamed. He was a stout man with skinny arms and legs, with a cleft lip and pointy hair, a long, bulbous red nose and a massive grin. He wore yellow suspenders and a long, flamboyant purple overcoat, with a wooden sword stashed in his belt. "We are the Foxy Pirates! The toughest meanest crew around! Hand over your valuables and your lives and we'll be on our way!"

The Foxy Pirates cheered again. The captain, Foxy, Namami presumed, stood in a dramatic pause. No one moved. The situation quickly became uncomfortable. Foxy stared to cry.

"He's ignoring me, he's ignoring me!" Foxy cried, dropping down into depressed heap.

"What the hell are you doing?" The girl, Porsche, from what the pirates were screaming, shouted angrily. She was wielding two pistols threateningly. "How dare you ignore our captain?"

"Hold on, I'm confused," Namami said slowly. There were, at very the least, a hundred armed Foxy Pirates surrounding him. "Is this a _raid_?"

"That's right!" Foxy screamed, recovering quickly. The pirates cheered, flourishing guns.

"Hold on – you're _raiding_ us?" Namami quizzed, frowning confusedly.

"Yep!"

"As in, you're going to take our stuff?"

"Exactly!"

"And if we don't give you our stuff, you're going to hurt us?"

"Spot on! Now hand your stuff over!"

Namami nodded, looking a mixture of surprised and bemused. "_Huh_," he said finally, glancing around at the pirates. "That's cute."

With that, the cowboy simply turned and walked away, heading back into the cabin. The Foxy Pirates stared in shocked silence. Namami went straight for the sofa, dropping back down into his old position.

"What's happening out there?" Dagmund demanded.

"We're being raided," he answered plainly.

"Really?" Dagmund frowned. "That's cute."

"That's what I said!"

Just on cue, Foxy charged into the room, flanked by dozens of men clutching guns. There were so many they could barely fit through the doorway. Foxy carried a pistol threateningly, which he pointed around the room. Daisuke gulped in fear. Nobody else looked bothered.

"I said, this is a raid!" Foxy bellowed. "Give us everything you've got!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Bloodgrin demanded, storming out of his room and glaring in at the commotion.

"We're being raided," Dagmund explained.

Bloodgrin grunted. "Oh, that's cute," he snarled, glaring at Foxy.

"He-llo?!" Foxy bellowed, his voice becoming louder. "We've got guns here!" He shook the pistol around, in demonstration. "And hundreds of men! And cannons! So give us everything you've got!"

Nobody seemed to pay much them attention. Hamilton hadn't yet looked up from his crossword.

"Shouldn't somebody do something?" Daisuke stammered, backing away slowly.

"That depends, whose turn is it?" Namami asked conversationally.

"Not mine, I handled it last time," Dagmund said quickly.

"_I_ could handle it," Bloodgrin said cheerfully, with a vicious smile. Hamilton clenched his pencil slightly tighter.

"Hell no, you're not handling it!" Dagmund protested. "Last time you handled it, it took me days to dry-clean the carpets!"

"_Excuse me!_" Foxy screamed. His men were starting to get confused. "Are you lot deaf or something?! Hand me whatever you've got, or I'm going to _shoot_ you!"

The Revolutionaries glanced at each other. "I'm pretty sure it's your turn," Dagmund said finally, staring at Namami. Foxy screamed in frustration, firing his pistol into the ceiling.

With a frustrated scowl, Hamilton finally looked up. He had lost his train of thought now. He slammed his pencil onto the desk irritably and pushed the crossword to one side.

"That's it!" Hamilton fumed angrily. "_I_ will handle it!"

Dagmund groaned and moved to one side. Bloodgrin took a seat, watching eagerly. Foxy just looked even more confused. He wasn't the brightest bulb in the box, and his crew weren't massive intellectuals either, but slowly they were starting to suspect that maybe something was going wrong.

Hamilton just sighed, brushed his sweater down, forced a smile, and the walked directly to Foxy. He held out his hand and shook the pirate in a firm handshake.

"Good evening. Mr Foxy, was it?" Hamilton said brightly, suddenly all charm. "My name is Shin Hamilton, my colleagues and I are pretending to be part of the Royal History Society, it's _such_ a pleasure to meet you."

Foxy blinked, obviously off-guard. The rest of the pirates looked confused. Hamilton just kept on smiling politely. "Tell me, how was your journey?" Without waiting for an answer, Hamiton just continued talking conversationally. "Oh, that is good to hear. Yes, it _is_ lovely sailing weather, isn't it? Thank you very much. We left from Jaya, yourself? Oh, I'm from North Blue originally, how about you? That's very interesting. I love your coat, by the way, where's it from? Thank you _so_ much – this sweater was 9 Beli, from a bargain bin in Saboady. You don't say? Well, it was so nice getting to know you, Mr Foxy."

The pirate glanced around, unable to keep up. "_Huh?_" Foxy exclaimed, confusedly.

Next to him, Porsche just shrugged, pointing both her pistols at Hamilton. There were a lot of guns pointing at Hamilton. He didn't seemed to care. Hamilton just kept on smiling.

"Anyways," Hamilton continued pleasantly, with barely a pause, taking over the conversation while the pirates were still reeling. "Now that we've got all the small talk out of the way with, allow me to explain how I'm going to murder you."

"What – wait?" Hamburg exclaimed, scratching his head.

"The first thing I need you to know is how much I _really_ don't care," Hamilton explained without pause, still with that polite, slightly disturbing smile. "I mean, honestly, I care so little that this conversation right now feels like a waste of breath. It is actually _impressive_ the size of the fuck that I seriously do not give about you." He motioned with his arms for extra emphasis. "On my list of concerns, you and the lives of your crew are so _far_ down there that I can't even be bothered to rank you. Truth be told, I care so little that even if you were to shoot me now, I can't even be bothered to dodge."

Foxy's mouth dropped open incredulously. Hamilton just kept on talking. "So, anyways," he continued. "You're obviously mentally challenged, so I'm going to make this very, _very_ simple. You are either going to have to shoot me, or you're going to have to turn around and _leave_ my ship."

In an instant, there were a dozen nozzles in his face. Hamilton didn't even blink. "Now, if you _do_ shoot me," he continued, unconcerned. "Then I promise that I'm not going to dodge. Instead, I'm just going to stay _right_ here, and I'm going to wait until you run out of bullets. That would be the 'not caring' aspect coming into play, you see?"

He could see the doubt in the pirate's eyes. It wasn't normal for anyone to act so calm at gunpoint, at close range. "Now, in the interest of _fairness_," Hamilton continued, stressing the word. "I should tell you that, when you do run out of bullets, _then_ I'm going to move. At that point, I'm going to _rip you in half_."

Behind him, Bloodgrin giggled quietly. Foxy mouth dropped open slowly. The room was quiet. Hamilton sighed. "And you should know that I mean that statement completely and utterly _literally_," he said with extra emphasis. "As in, I will seriously place half of your body in that corner of the room and the other half in _that_ corner. I am going to put my hands on your shoulders and I'm going to tear _straight down the centre_." He demonstrated the motion with his hands, like ripping a piece of paper. "Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

For once, Foxy the Silver Fox was left completely speechless. A murmur went through his crew. Hamilton folded his arms and took his position. "Alright, so it's your turn now," Hamilton said with a sigh, adjusting his head so the gun nozzle was directly on his forehead. "Either shoot me or leave."

It took a few seconds for Foxy to process it. Definitely not the sharpest knife, Hamilton decided. The pirate looked stunned and uncertain as he pointed his gun against Hamilton's skull.

"Are you serious?!" He exclaimed uncertainly. Hamilton just rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, he's serious," Bloodgrin shouted happily from behind. "Do yourself a favour; aim for the head."

There was a moment of doubt. All eyes turned to Foxy. The captain floundered. "What do we do, boss?" Porsche asked in a hushed whisper, her fingers on the triggers.

The silence returned. Foxy met Hamilton's eyes, and there was absolutely no concern there. For a second, Foxy nearly pulled his pistol away.

But then his finger twitched and the gun unloaded. The gunshot rang through the air. Hamilton's blood splattered out of the back of his skull.

As one, the Foxy Pirates fired every weapon they had, from pistols to muskets to large hand cannons. Hamilton's body twitched with every shot, blood splattering everywhere. Bones crunched as the metal rounds tore straight through him. The Foxy Pirates didn't stop shooting.

There were so many bullets that the noise was deafening. The smoke filled the room. The barrage shredded through Hamilton's body, and then, finally he toppled over into a bloody, disfigured pile on to the floor.

And finally, Foxy's gun clicked as he ran out of bullets. One by one, the rest of the pirates went empty too. There was a pause as the smoke cleared slowly. Hamilton was lying as a bloody mess on the ground.

Foxy blinked. "_Well_…" The captain muttered eventually. "That was weird, but, anyways, give us everthi–"

His voice cut off as, as quiet as a ghost, Hamilton slowly pulled himself up off the ground. The last thing anybody saw through the smoke was a bloody, mutilated Hamilton darting forward, and grabbing Foxy firmly by the shoulders.

That was when the screaming started.

* * *

**Author Notes**

**This chapter and the previous one were originally planned to be combined, but then I decided to expand them out in to two. This one was actually a pain to write, but I'm pretty happy with how it came out.**

**Next time: Water 7 finally arrives, and some relationships get revealed, _'Relationships'..._**


	32. Chapter 32: Relationships

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Rather than accept I don't own One Piece, I have now retreated to a different reality where I do own One Piece. Also, there's giant flamingos... whoa... look at them fly... (giggles)...**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The crew recently captured and freed a privateer ship filled with slaves, while on their way to find a replacement for the damaged and overloaded Going Merry. Also, Vivi and Luffy recently entered a relationship, despite the fact that Luffy is also involved with Robin and Nami. The rest of the crew have yet to find out.**_

* * *

**Chapter 32: Relationships**

* * *

_A week after the raid of the Mary-Elizabeth…_

_This ship is too small_, Vivi thought furiously, slamming on the bathroom door. Twelve people and only one toilet. Early morning got a bit hectic.

"Hey, are you nearly done in there?" Vivi shouted loudly. She was still wearing her pyjamas; dark green bottoms and a baggy top. "I'm sorry, but I really need to get washed, and it's been nearly a hou – oh…"

Nami opened the door suddenly. Vivi blinked. The two girls stared at each other for a moment. Nami's hair was slightly damp, and she was in her pyjamas too. "Sorry," Nami said sheepishly after a moment. "I was in the shower. Come in, please, we should hurry before the guys wake up."

Vivi paused, glancing at Nami awkwardly. _I am dating Luffy_, Vivi thought slowly, _and she's dating Luffy_. Vivi's conversation with Luffy that had established that remained one of the most awkward conversations Vivi ever had. To his credit, Luffy had been completely honest about it from the day they kissed, but Vivi had still yet to look Nami in the eye after she had learnt.

Vivi hesitated for a while, doubt running through her mind, but then nodded and walked in. The sink was at least big enough for both girls to use. Nami took out a hairbrush, while Vivi picked out her toothbrush. Neither of them spoke or made eye contact for a while. There was a pause as they both reached for the tap at the same time.

"Sorry," Vivi said meekly, stepping to one side. Nami nodded thankfully and quickly filled up a glass of water.

"It was easier when we had the galleon bathrooms," Nami said with a small smile. The _Mary-Elizabeth_, crewed by the former slaves, had parted ways with the pirates two days ago. They followed an Eternal Log Pose to the nearest port, while the pirates continued on their journey. They had offered to escort them, but in truth the girls had just wanted to get as far away from everything as possible. _There were enough of them to crew it and the Mary-Elizabeth was a fearsome ship_, Nami reasonably silently, stomach still slightly unsettled from the whole ordeal; _they'd be fine_.

"Yeah, this ship is getting pretty cramped," Vivi agreed. The majority of the gold from privateers had stayed with the ship, but the pirates had still pillaged quite a few valuables, from swords to books to cannons. All of the crew members took their share, but it just meant even more cargo and even less space.

The girls paused as they both went for the mouthwash at the same time.

"How come the guys never have this problem?" Nami asked finally.

Vivi smiled. "I don't think they actually wash very often," she whispered in mock hushed voice.

Nami giggled. "Oh, Luffy does, at least. I insisted that he washes every…"

Her voice trailed off. Vivi blinked. The mood went dead. Both Vivi and Nami stared intently into the mirror. There was a pause.

"Well," Nami said after a long pause. "This is awkward."

Vivi nodded, twitching slightly. "Hmm –hmm."

Neither of them knew what to say next. Vivi fiddled slightly with her hair. Nami took a deep breath. "Alright, so we're both dating the same guy," she said finally. It had been an elephant in the room for a while. It felt so weird saying the words, but Nami powered through. "We've got to face it at some point."

"Right," Vivi said finally. She paused. Nami had taken an early morning shower. "…You were with Luffy last night, weren't you?"

Nami nodded, blushing very slightly. It had been last night and most of the morning too. "That's right," she said firmly.

"Right." Another pause. The implication was pretty clear. Vivi had to ask anyways. "So you and Luffy are… you know…"

"Yep. We're you know-ing," she said slowly. Nami hesitated, glancing at Vivi. "Are you and him–"

"No," Vivi said quickly, before blushing. "I mean, we're _together_, but we haven't actually, you know'd…"

"Oh."

The pause was longer than all other ones.

"Ok, I'm going to go now," Vivi muttered finally, turning away from the sink.

"No, wait!" Nami said quickly, grabbing her by the arm. "I… I don't want things to be weird between us. I mean, we can talk about it, can't we?"

Vivi hesitated. "Right." She bit her lip. "Luffy told you about us – I mean, about me and him – straight away didn't he?"

"Yes," Nami nodded, before asking. "Was he upfront about _me_ and him to you?"

Vivi nodded. "And him and _Robin_?"

"You know, I really don't think he has ever lied about anything," Nami said with a small nod, eyes softening.

Vivi smiled gently. "Yeah," she agreed.

"So…" Nami cleared her throat. "_Why_ did you agree to be together with him, then?"

Vivi hesitated for a while. "Because I trust him," she said finally. "And because I feel safe with him. How about you?"

"Yeah, about the same," Nami said with a sigh. "He's too stupid to be manipulating."

Vivi bit her lip. "He told me that you said it was ok for him to be with me," she said. There was a faint question in the statement.

"I… I didn't forbid the possibility," Nami said awkwardly, glancing at her feet. "I just… kind of implied that if _he_ wanted to and if _you_ wanted to, then I would be ok with it."

Vivi stared. "Why?"

Nami very nearly lied. It took great force of will to go with the truth. "Because Robin did the same for me," Nami explained sheepishly, her voice low. "Because the only reason I was with him and you weren't was because I walked in on _them_ together. I don't know; it… it just didn't seem fair."

"Fair," Vivi repeated slowly. "You set us up because it was fair."

Nami shifted on the spot. "I guess..."

Vivi never knew how to reply. "_Huh_," she said simply.

Nami slowly sat down on the edge of the bath. "He would never hurt us," Nami said finally. "… I don't know what I'm doing here, I don't know if it's ever going to work, and I don't how it's going, but I just know that Luffy would never, ever hurt us."

Vivi took a long breath. "Do you love him?" She asked quietly.

Nami's eyes flickered. "I don't know," she admitted. "I guess, I… just love spending time with him, I love how he makes me feel, and I love how he's… he's just always there for me."

Both girls stared at each other. Vivi sighed. "I don't want to stop spending time with him," Vivi confessed. She was sick of doubting herself, and she just really wanted the chance to try and be with him. "I know it's selfish and stupid, but he just makes me feel selfish and stupid. I'm not, well, I'm not _happy_ about you or Robin, but… well… I am happy with Luffy…"

"…Yeah…" Nami nodded quietly, rubbing her eyes. There was a long pause. "… I guess that makes this a relationship then…"

Vivi nodded, taking the seat next to Nami. "Are we going to need… I don't know… a timetable or something?"

Nami giggled softly. "What, you mean alternating nights for each of us?"

"Well, I don't know!" Vivi pouted. "How's it meant to work?"

"Maybe… suppose we'll just all have to be considerate…" Nami said a finally.

Vivi huffed. Nami stared at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" Nami demanded.

"You're the most selfish person I know!" Vivi exclaimed, but there was humour in her eyes.

"I am _not_!" Nami said defensively, swatting Vivi in the arm. The two girls glared at each other, and then burst out giggling.

"I miss you being my best friend," Vivi admitted quietly, under her breath, biting her lip softly.

Nami felt her shoulders slacken. "Me too," she said quietly, wrapping her arm around Vivi softly. "Maybe we can be again…"

There was a long pause. The only sound was the Going Merry rocked gently on the waves, and the pipes creaking softly. It took a long time for Vivi to force the words out. The princess sighed.

"Ok, so this is a real relationship…" She said slowly. "You know what we've got to do now, right?"

"What?" Nami asked, looking at Vivi.

Her eyes were serious, even if her voice was slightly reluctant. "…We've got to tell the rest of the crew," Vivi said finally.

Nami's eyes widened in shock. "No no no no!" She said firmly, flinching backwards. "We are not telling them anything!"

"Nami…"

"What we supposed to say? 'Hi everyone, this is my boyfriend and here are his two other girlfriends'?!"

"How are we meant to explain us spending so much time together?" Vivi protested. "I want to hold my boyfriend's hand in public!"

"We all do, but he doesn't have enough hands!"

"Nami…!"

"Maybe we're all just good friends… you know, friends that occasionally share a bed…"

"…Nami…"

"I've got it! Bed shortages! We say there aren't enough hammocks, so we've got to take turns sharing occasionally…"

"_Nami_…"

"Oh alright!" Nami pouted. "Fine, I know we have to, but I just _really_ don't want to!"

Vivi understood the feeling. "We've got to do it," the princess said miserably. "I mean, the other day Sanji was asking me some really weird questions about you and Robin. I think he's on to us."

"Hmph… but it's just going be so weird…!"

"Vivi's right." The new voice at the doorway caught them both by surprise. They glanced up, to see Luffy walking into the bathroom awkwardly. Robin was right behind him, holding his hand. Luffy smiled at Nami and Vivi hesitantly. "We've got to tell them eventually…"

Nami sighed. Luffy walked next to her and rubbed her shoulder affectionately. Robin leant against the wall, and quietly shut the door behind them. The older woman was composed, but Luffy could see the doubt in her eyes. Then again, she could probably see the doubt in his.

"We said from the beginning that we never had to tell anyone while we were still sorting things out," Robin said quietly. She looked just as reluctant. "But we can't keep on running around like this. I think it's time to tell the rest of the crew."

Nami fumed under her breath, folding her arms. "_Fine!_ We'll tell them at lunchtime today," she relented before glaring suspiciously at Luffy and Vivi. "But you better not chicken out on me and leave me to say it all."

"We won't," Luffy promised firmly. "We'll tell them together."

* * *

…_They've totally chickened out on me_, Nami decided finally, clutching her fork tightly. The meal was very nearly at an end. Sanji had stopped serving food, and now the conversation had devolved into a familiar argument about what was the best type weapon, with Wiper advocating bazookas while Zoro supported swords.

All the while, Luffy spent the meal staring at his food, eating unusually slowly, while Vivi fidgeted with her hair. No matter how Nami tried to signal them that it was the right time to say something, both seemed determined to wait a bit longer. There was waiting for the right time, and then there was trying to delay indefinitely. Only Robin returned Nami's glances, and seemed just as exasperated to get it over with.

Nami had no idea what she was going to say. No matter how she pictured the conversation going, it was always painful. Still, she had reached the point where she was running out of patience, and she just wanted to get it over with.

Around her, Sanji was already clearing the dishes away, while the rest of the crew looked ready to stand up. Nami gritted her teeth, motioned to Robin, kicked Luffy under the table, and the finally summoned the courage to do it.

"Ahem!" Nami coughed awkwardly, standing up from her chair. Luffy and Vivi instantly stared at her with wide eyes. The whole crew turned to stare in surprise. "… hey, could everyone hold on for a moment? I've… I mean, _we've_…" She said with pointed glare. Robin sat up straighter. "…kind of got something that we need to say…"

All eyes were on her. Sanji dropped the dishes into the sink, and walked back towards the table without a word, staring intently. His eye flickered slightly. Nami had never suffered stage-fright before, but suddenly she froze.

"…Well… um… it's kind of awkward…" she said carefully, looking around the table. Sanji blinked. His body looked tense. "…But, well, it's gone on for long enough, and we wanted everyone to know now… that…um… well…"

"I KNEW IT!" Sanji shouted loudly, shoulders sagging as he stared at Nami. "I absolutely _knew_ you were in a secret relationship!"

Nami's mouth dropped open. The room was completely still. "…You… you knew!"

"YES!" Sanji screamed, face splitting in a huge grin. "_You two are actually together!_"

He pointed between Nami and Robin eagerly. Everyone froze. Robin blinked. "You two…?" The archaeologist asked quietly. "… You mean me and Nami…?"

"Oh, I _saw_ the way you two have been sneaking around," Sanji said happily, with a sly wink. Luffy scratched his head. Vivi looked absolutely speechless. "It really wasn't hard to put two and two together!"

Nami's mouth dropped open, and then she sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "You might have missed out a couple there…" She muttered under her breath, wondering what she was meant to say now.

The rest of the crew looked just as shocked. "Wait? Nami _and_ Robin?" Chopper asked confusedly in his innocent high-pitched voice. "…But they're both girls!"

The reindeer hesitated, turning to Usopp. "They _are_ both girls, right?" Chopper asked discretely.

Nami's vein throbbed. Usopp nodded. "I think so," the sniper replied in a hushed whisper.

Zoro nodded, frowning confusedly, glancing at Nami and Robin. "Huh, well, congratulations," the swordsman said finally, before turning to Sanji. "Hey, I might need to have a check of that cookbook for something…"

Both the women had no idea how to react. Robin sat perfectly straight, smiling politely, but her face was completely wooden. Nami stared at Sanji incredulously. "Wait a second, you think that _me_ and _Robin_ are a couple?!" She demanded.

Sanji was bouncing up and down like a kid on Christmas. "Oh, don't worry, I approve!" He said, giddy with excitement. "I'm a huge fan of lesbian relationships! Seriously, a huge, _huge_ fan!"

He was practically giggling. Both Robin and Nami stared at him disbelieving. Sanji's grin widened, dancing on the spot with the mental image. "_You go, girls!_" Sanji exclaimed loudly, hands in the air. "_Whoo! Girl power, yeah!_"

"Oh god," Robin muttered under her breath, turning away and taking a large drink. Nami was twitching on the spot slightly. Everyone else was staring between the three of them.

"It's all good! All good! Great in fact, _absolutely_ great!" Sanji gushed giddily. "We're all in complete support! Woo! _Girl love_! This deserves a party! Tell you what, I've got some very _special_ ice cream that I was saving for a big occasion, I'll get you and Robin a dish now!" His face blushed beetroot red. "…and just let me say, that I'm in _complete_ approval if you two maybe want eat the ice cream off each other, just saying…"

"_Oh god_…" Robin muttered with more intensity, finishing the last of her drink in a single gulp. Nami was still standing, staring at Sanji disbelievingly and building up steam like a kettle boiling so hard it was getting ready to explode. Sanji just kept on going like a bubbling schoolboy.

"…I mean, I know I snap at Usopp for always playing with his food, but for _you_ two…!" His body nearly doubled over with the weight of the lecherous thoughts. "Hell, you two can do _absolutely_ '_whatever_' you want with my food! Seriously, eat it, lick it, maybe wipe it somewhere! It's all good! I'm going to start cooking now, in fact, so whatever you – "

Nami finally clicked. "That's it!" The navigator screamed furiously at Sanji. "I'm _not_ a lesbian! I'm not _with_ Robin!"

Sanji paused on the spot, mouth hanging open. Nami sighed. "We're both with Luffy."

All eyes turned to Luffy. The captain looked more clueless than ever. Sanji blinked repeatedly. "_What?_"

"Me and Robin–" Nami explained slowly. Robin nodded. "– are both dating _Luffy_."

There was a moment of stunned silence. Eyes turned to Robin, then Nami, and then to Luffy, before twisting around to focus on Sanji. The chef kept on blinking repeatedly. He smiled woodenly. "Sorry, can you repeat that?"

Nami face-palmed. "Oh for god's sake–" She took a deep breath. "Luffy is my boyfriend. Luffy is also Robin's boyfriend. We are both his _girlfriends_."

Sanji didn't stop blinking. His smile was very stiff. He was still for a long time.

"Sorry, hold on one moment," Sanji said apologetically, before leaving the room and walking out on to deck. Everyone was completely quiet.

And, then from outside, there was a series of solid wallops, sounding like something wooden colliding repeatedly against something solid. Aisa rushed to the door, and opened it to have a peek.

"He's smacking his head off the mast," she reported quietly, while the room was left in stunned silence.

When Sanji walked in again, there was a steady stream of blood pouring down his forehead. He smiled stiffly. "I am _so_ sorry about that," the chef apologised sincerely, smiling at Nami. "It looks like I must have went temporarily insane for a moment there. Could you repeat what you just said?"

As one, the whole room shuffled away from Sanji.

Nami sighed. "Both – me – and – _Robin_ – are – dating – _Luffy_."

Sanji paused, and then gagged. His eyes were flickering. It was like his mind was having a lot of trouble processing the statement. He kept on blinking. Finally, after a long time, he managed to speak in a strained whisper. "Wait… wait… you're saying that… _him_…" He pointed to Luffy. "…and _you_…" He pointed at Nami. "… and _you_…" Sanji turned to Robin. His voice trailed off as he clearly had a lot of trouble finishing the sentence.

Vivi shifted, well aware that rest of the crew was ignoring her. She sighed, and then stood. "And me…" Vivi announced nervously, placing her hand on Luffy's shoulder.

Sanji didn't react straight away. "Oh…" the chef exclaimed dumbly. "… and Vivi as well…"

There was a pause. It was followed by a large crash. Sanji's brain obviously just gave up with this reality, and the chef toppled backwards to the floor, unconscious.

The rest of the crew kept on staring, struggling to find anything to say. Finally, Zoro broke the silence.

"If the chef is in a coma now…" The swordsman announced, returning to his meal. "…then _I'm_ taking his bunk."

* * *

It was a nice day, slightly cloudy but very relaxed. Luffy reclined on the deck, next to the Robin, holding her hand, as they both read a book together. Robin rested her head on Luffy's shoulders, lazily turning the page as they both snoozed through the book in comfortable silence.

Nami stood with Tashigi and Zoro, training at the front of the prow, while Vivi helped Conis fiddle with the Dials by the mast. With the exception of Sanji, the rest of the crew seemed to take the news fairly well.

"So what's it like?" Conis asked Vivi in a quiet, interested whisper.

"What do you mean?" Vivi replied.

"Well, does it get… _crowded_?" Conis asked, her pale face blushing slightly. "…when you're with Luffy?"

Vivi started to blush too. "Um, ah, we aren't _with_ Luffy at the same time…" she replied, glancing to one side sheepishly. "It's more like… um…"

"….Take turns?" The angel asked coyly. Vivi blushed even more, and then grabbed Conis by the arm and dragged her to one side to talk about it in hushed whispers.

Meanwhile, Tashigi sparred gently with Nami, sizing the weight of the new sword she'd taken from the privateers. The new sword was very good quality, but it was a bit too heavy for her and shaped like a meat cleaver.

"So…" Tashigi asked conversationally. "…Have you had the _bathing_ argument with Luffy yet?"

Tashigi stared pointedly at Zoro as she asked. The swordsman groaned, turned and walked away. "Oh yes," Nami replied with a bright smile. "You too?"

"Can you _believe_ how little men would wash themselves if we weren't here?" Tashigi asked conspiratorially.

"_I know!_" Nami agreed empathetically. "Plus there's always _that_ patch that they don't clean at all, and then later you've got to –"

"Lalalalalah!" Zoro chanted loudly, his fingers in his ears as he tried to walk quickly away from the conversation. Nami and Tashigi both giggled together, and resumed sparring.

An hour later, Chopper finally released Sanji from his care. The chef had a bandage wrapped around his head, but otherwise seemed completely fine. He was suspiciously too normal as he walked around the crew, serving drinks.

Robin went up and got a cocktail, before settling back down next to Luffy. She glanced at the chef secretively. "Have you noticed that whenever anyone mentions you and me, Nami, or Vivi, then Sanji acts really weirdly?" Robin asked Luffy curiously. "He doesn't actually say anything or acknowledges it; he just blinks five times, smiles weirdly, and then turns and walks away. The same thing happens whenever he sees us close to each other."

"Really?" Luffy frowned. "You think Sanji is in denial?"

"Try it and see," Robin offered.

Luffy nodded, and turned in his chair. Still holding Robin's hand, he called out to the chef. "Hey Sanji!" Luffy called. The chef was talking to Usopp, but they paused as he turned to face Luffy. "You know that me and Robin are in relationship, right?"

Sanji didn't react. He smiled very stiffly, mumbled something incoherent under his breath, blinked four times, and then turned and walked away rigidly, completely abandoning his conversation with Usopp. As he left, Sanji's face looked very rigid but his eyes weren't totally sane.

Luffy leaned back in his chair and looked at Robin. "Well," the captain decided finally. "At least that's progress."

Robin giggled softly. "It _is_ an impressive level of denial," she agreed. "I think he'd rather convince himself that he's delusion rather than believe you've got three girlfriends."

Luffy shrugged. "Well, whatever helps him cope,"

"Perhaps we should recruit a psychiatrist to help him through it," Robin suggested with a smile. Luffy grinned before moving into kiss Robin softly on the lips. It was a feeling that just never got old. Their heads bumped together softly as their lips meshed together.

As they pulled apart, there was a squeal from Usopp and Chopper as they watch them kissed. Luffy just laughed as they stared at him incredulously, but it felt so good to kiss her in public. Robin just smiled, rubbing her mouth softly.

"Wow," Usopp exclaimed in wonder. "So Luffy has a girlfriend. Three girlfriends in fact…"

"What's it like to have a girlfriend, anyways?" Chopper asked curiously.

"I don't know." The sniper paused as a thought occurred to him. There were now more people on the ship in a relationship than without. "Hey Sanji!" Usopp called brightly. "You do realise that the eligible women on the ship are being taken up and you've been completely left behind?"

The chef stopped, gasped for breath, his eyes frantic. After a moment's pause, he turned around and approached Conis, the only single woman left. Sanji forced a grin, and shouted out. "Hey, Conis–"

"Not even remotely interested," Conis said quickly, not looking up.

Sanji blinked. As he walked away, he walked like a man whose world was completely dissolving away around him. Usopp just laughed, while Chopper stared interestedly. The doctor watched like a biologist trying to understand some weird animal behaviour.

Usopp frowned, glancing at the doctor. "Say, Chopper?" He asked curiously. "Are the any girls you're interested in?"

Chopper stared. "You do realise I'm a reindeer, right?"

"Well, then, are there any… Reindeeresses? Reindeerinas? She-reindeers?" Usopp paused. "…anyways, you get the question."

Chopper shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. "Not really," he admitted, thinking back to his time at Drum Island. There had been plenty of cute does, but Chopper had never fit in with the herd. "It was the Human Human fruit, you see, after I ate it could never really get along with them…"

"Ah, I see," Usopp nodded. "You became smart while the rest of the reindeers stayed stupid."

He huffed. "Reindeers aren't stupid!" Chopper snapped. "Reindeers have everything sorted; it's humans that make everything too complicated!"

Usopp thought about for a while. "Well, have you ever tried dating human girls, then?" He asked finally. "I mean, you do have a human form."

Chopper's blue nose wrinkled. "Dating… humans…?" He shuddered. "_Yuck!_"

"Hey! What's wrong with humans?"

"Have you ever tried dating toads?" Chopper demanded.

"Course not, that'd be disgust – _Ohh_…"

The bickering continued for a while, as Usopp and Chopper began to argue the merits of human and reindeer girls. When Usopp began to lose, Nami approached and smacked them both over the head. Luffy couldn't help but laugh, particularly as Usopp compared Nami to a reindeer cow and all hell broke loose.

They were fighting right up until the moment Aisa called from the crow's nest. "Land ho!" The girl shouted excitedly, peering through the telescope.

At once, everything stopped as they rushed to the prow. In the distance, the outline of a large island, filled with towering structures, with a massive water fountain in the centre, slowly came into view. The ships were as small as dots on the horizon, but there were lots of them moving in and out of a bustling port. There was a weird hooting sound barely audible, and a small billow of smoke rising next to the island.

"Whoa, this place is huge!" Luffy exclaimed happily, sitting on top of the figurehead.

"Judging from these maps…" Nami mused, hovering over the maps she got from the West Viper Brigade. "…I would say that this city is Water 7. It's marked as a city of shipwrights."

"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed, as the details of the city slowly came into view. "We can get our new ship and our new shipwright from here then. I want a shipwright that's fifteen foot tall!"

"Luffy, he wouldn't fit in the ship then," Nami said exasperatedly.

"Not if we get a ship big enough to match," Luffy argued smugly.

The closer they got, the more excitement started to rise. Luffy just laughed, before leaning back on his seat and staring upwards at the new Jolly Roger flapping in the wind. _Usopp has done a good job_, Luffy thought approvingly.

The black flag proudly showed a white fearsome skull, with its left cheekbone cracked open. Behind the skull, there were two lightning bolts shaped like daggers crisscrossing, and the whole skull had a dark orange outline. Luffy could the see the similarity with Shanks' flag in the skull. It was enough to make him grin.

"Yeah," Luffy decided finally, staring at the outline of the island. "I think we're going to have fun here!"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The saw slid smoothly through the timber, throwing up fine speckles of sawdust with every stroke. The pace was smooth, measured, and perfect, grinding down through the wood with steady consistency. Lucci's arm moved with rhythm, his face completely impassive as he worked.

With a single hand, he held the huge chunk of timber so firmly it didn't splinter as the blade sawed through. As soon as he was done, he went to pick up another plank, cutting it to perfection. He worked for hours, without even breaking a sweat. On his shoulder, his pigeon tweeted occasionally in content peace.

It was nearly dark by the time footsteps approached him. Lucci didn't even glance upwards, but he still recognised the sound of Kaku walking towards him. Neither of them talked as Lucci finished sawing, and then stood up and turned to each other. Lucci quietly wiped his hands on his overalls as he turned to the long nosed man.

"We have a problem," Kaku said finally. "Scouts reported a pirate ship coming into port. They recognised the model. It is captained by a certain Monkey D. Luffy, and _she_ is on-board."

Kaku handed Lucci a wanted poster. Lucci recognised it instantly. The poster exclaimed 'NICO ROBIN – 'HELL CHILD', WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE: 90,000,000 BELI'. Lucci spent a while staring at the picture of Robin as an adult. Her eyes were as firm as he remembered.

_You know_, Lucci thought silently, _I actually preferred the old photo, the one of her as her child_. That one had more true to who Robin was.

"Nico Robin _knows_ you," Kaku warned, when Lucci didn't reply. "She is capable of ruining our cover here. The whole mission is at risk if she's in Water 7."

Without another pause, Lucci returned to sawing the planks of wood. "Well, then…" Lucci said finally, with a small shrug. "… I guess our mission here is over."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," a voice drawled suddenly. Both Lucci and Kaku froze as calm, lazy footsteps approached.

Lucci turned, and recognised the newcomer instantly. He was a very, slim and muscular man, wearing a white dress suit with a navy blue shirt, with tanned skin, bushy black hair, and a green sleep mask over his forehead. Lucci's eyes narrowed as he stood up.

"Your mission isn't over," Admiral Aojiki said simply, glancing between the two spies. "…Your mission has changed. Come walk with me. There's much to discuss."

* * *

**OMAKE:**

* * *

**The Chef's Problem**

* * *

Zoro groaned as he staggered through down the steps towards the men's quarters. Recently, Tashigi, by unanimous unspoken consent, had pretty much taken over as the ship's quartermaster and now insist on keeping all the cargo sorted and taking an inventory of everything they had. That would be fine, except as the quartermaster's boyfriend there than seemed to be an unbreakable unwritten contract that said that Zoro had to help her. It really was quite perplexing how he had been roped into counting boxes and sorting through junk, particularly as it was eating into his established routine of sleeping and training.

Still, Zoro now found himself tasked with stock of the kitchen, and making a list of all their food and emergency supplies. It was, Zoro conceded, a fairly important task considering they had Usopp on-board.

"Oi, dartboard brow!" Zoro shouted, calling out to Sanji irritably as he approached the door. "Do you know how many tins of peaches there are supposed to be in–"

There was a frantic rustling of a man trying to hide. Zoro was left staring dumbly as he looked at Sanji. The chef froze on the spot in the middle of the room.

Inside the room, Sanji wasn't wearing his usual black suit anymore. Instead, he was wearing blue shorts that were clearly far too short for his long legs, and a red, sleeveless vest that was so tight the buttons were about to snap.

Sanji had clearly been raiding and trying on Luffy's old clothes. Zoro blinked repeatedly. The news about Robin, Vivi and Nami had messed up the chef's head pretty badly.

He stared a Zoro with wide, pleading and panicked eyes. The moment stretched out and nobody spoke.

Finally, Zoro shook his head and turned around. His mind was already erasing the image from his memory. "We will never speak of this again," Zoro said firmly, before slamming the door shut behind him and walking away.

* * *

**OMAKE 2:**

* * *

**The Many Uses of Devil Fruits, Part 2**

* * *

Nami smiled as she sat at the table with Luffy. The captain looked completely lost as he stared at the pencil in his hand and the blank piece of paper on the table. Nami was well used to Luffy interrupting her when she was drawing maps, so she figured she could have some fun and try to teach Luffy the basics of cartography.

"It's simple," Nami reassured, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. "I'll show you how to do it. First you've just got to outline the shape of the island. Pick, um, Drum Island, for example."

Luffy's face scrounged up in concentration as he, very slowly, started to draw. He stuck his tongue out slightly in pure focus as he sketched out a shape while holding the pencil like a chisel. Nami watched quietly.

"Luffy," she said finally. "That's a picture of a rabbit."

The captain looked up confused. "Was that not what the island was like?"

Nami rolled her eyes and stood up from the table. "I'll get the eraser," she said with a sigh, walking to a drawer in the kitchen. She paused as soon as she realised that something was missing. "Wait a second…" Nami muttered in slow dread. "…where's the fruit juicer gone…?"

Luffy shrugged. Nami looked around, as the dread really sunk in. "Oh no…" she mumbled, before yelling at the top of her lungs. On this ship, the fruit juicer was a strictly forbidden object. "…_USOPP!_"

Without another pause, Nami barged out of the meeting, heading straight for the front cannon deck where they kept the boxes of Devil fruit. She found Usopp standing in front of the door, looking frantic.

"What did you do?!" Nami demanded.

"It's not like the last time–" Usopp protested.

"We haven't a cup of tea in weeks!" Nami bellowed. "Our kettle is slowly _chewing through the cupboard!_ Which Devil fruit did you juice this time, and what did you do with it?"

"It just seemed so useful, I thought it wouldn't –"

"_Dammit, Usopp!_" She growled.

He gulped, and then slowly held up an object from behind his back. He was holding the ship's mop. It was an old wooden mop, dishevelled and worn, but now it seemed to have a strange gleam to it. Usopp smiled nervously. "It was the Soap Soap fruit," he explained weakly. "…I mean, I was wiping the floors and I just thought I could save time…"

As if demonstration, he shook the mop slowly. From the bristles, the mop seemed to belch a large soap bubble that floated in the air for a moment. Nami felt her leg go numb as the bubble burst against her skin.

Usopp held to the mop up with anxious pride. Nami twitched.

"…For god's sake, Usopp…!" Nami snarled. "…_STOP GIVING SUPERPOWERS TO HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS!_"

_The next day…_

Nami sighed as she wiped the mop casually over the dirty plank of wood. In an instant, the muck vanished and plank looked brand new. Nami slowly stepped backwards, hands on her hips as she stared at the Going Merry. The whole ship was absolutely sparkling.

The navigator held up the mop in wonder. Every now and then, it still produced a bubble that floated in the air and stunk of soap.

"Ok…" Nami conceded, still staring at the Soap Soap mop. "…this is actually really useful."

Usopp's grin widened. "_See?!_"

* * *

**Author Notes**

**Huh? What's this? Three chapters in a row? Wow. Ok, I'm cheating a bit because this chapter is shorter, but still the thought is there :)**

**This also marks the beginning of the Water 7 arc in earnest, which I'm really looking forward to.**

**Next chapter: _'So_ _You Want to Build a Ship, Do You?_'**

* * *

**Also, after a lengthy argument with a friend, I now take it to my readers to decide something. On my profile, I've created a poll asking which _profession_ the pirates should recruit for their next crew member(s?). This says nothing about which character is next, only what role they'll play on the ship, for example helmsman, carpenter, tailor, etc. **

**In the interest of impartialness, I won't say which role (and character) I argued for, but ****I've made a long list of possibilities (not all of them applicable or even sane) on the poll that you can vote for. If there are any other suggestions then please message me them.**


	33. Chapter 33: So You Want To Build A Ship?

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I have built a throne in my cell, from which I rule over my imaginary One Piece kingdom.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**After their adventures, the crew has gathered a fortune in gold and valuables, and have recently arrived in Water 7, a city of shipwrights, in order to buy a new ship and recruit new members.**_

_**However, unbeknownst to them, there are undercover Government agents in Water 7, headed by Rob Lucci, the assassin who once seduced and tried to assassinate Robin...**_

* * *

**Chapter 33: So You Want To Build A Ship, Do You?**

* * *

"It's impossible," Lulu said simply, folding his arms as he glanced around the room. "We can't do it."

_Impossible_. The word still stung. "I really don't like that word," Iceburg said simply, staring at the blueprints in front of him.

"He's right, sir," Iceburg's secretary, Kalifa, said formally, as she leafed through a pile of papers. "We don't have the planning permission."

"Forget planning permission, we don't have the manpower," Lulu said firmly. "Or the materials."

Curiously, Iceburg looked around at the other shipwrights. The five foremen of Dock One of the Galley-La Company stood before him, and they were against him. Lulu was the most sceptical, and even Tilestone murmured a quiet (or at least quiet by his standards) agreement. Even Paulie, who had always been the most reckless, looked reserved, while Lucci and Kaku sat quietly, and Iceburg could see the doubt in their eyes.

Together, they formed the best shipwrights in Water 7, if not the world. Iceburg regularly asked them to achieve the impossible. _Perhaps this time I've finally asked too much of them_, he mused quietly, crossing his legs as he thought.

"How much would it weigh?" Paulie asked curiously, chewing on the end of his cigar. "Thousands of tonnes?"

"_Millions_ of tonnes," Kaku corrected, and no one doubted him when it came to surveying. "At least fifty kilometres required as well."

Lulu shook his head. "We'd never get it to float," he said firmly. "And it'd never hold."

"Plus we've only got a year to build it," Tilestone grumbled loudly. "If we don't get it done before the next Aqua Laguna, it'd never survive. But that's a whole year where we wouldn't have the resources to take any more jobs. No jobs, no more, we'd go bankrupt and the men would revolt in six months."

"And what about all the citizens?" Lulu argued. "Where are they going to live when we're building this thing?"

Paulie nodded in agreement. "I understand what you're trying to do," he said loyally. "But it won't work."

Iceburg was quiet for a long time. Absentmindedly, he stroked his pet mouse, Tyrannosaurus, as he stared fixedly at the large sheets of blueprints. _It was a brilliant design_, he thought without a hint of modesty; _it was a design that would have make Tom proud_…

Over a month ago, the yearly tidal wave, Aqua Laguna, had been absolutely devastating to their city. It had been the worst in living memory, but every year the tidal wave was getting worse. Water 7 had been sinking slowly into the ocean for generations, and all the while the builders had just abandoned any buildings that had flooded and slowly built upwards. That wasn't going to work indefinitely. Sooner or later, whether in a hundred years or ten, the great city of Water 7 was going to sink.

It had been after the last Aqua Laguna, after trying to organise the repairs, when Iceburg came up with a solution. If he wanted to stop the water rising, then the city would just have to float. The president of the Galley-La Company wanted to turn Water 7 into a floating city; the world's greatest city of shipwrights would just have to build the world's greatest city ship.

The idea was beautiful. The practicalities of somehow turning an island into a ship, less so. There were a nightmare of problems with a project of this scale.

"Why?" Iceburg said finally, looking at his foremen. "_Why_ won't it work?"

Paulie frowned. Iceburg scratched his chin slowly. "For every reason you give me, I'm going to ask 'why' five times," Iceburg explained slowly. "…And then we're going to come down to the root of the problem here."

They paused. "It won't work because it's too big," Lulu said eventually. "There's too much to do and not enough time to do it in."

"_Why?_"

"Because we don't have the resources," Tilestone answered. "Not enough wood, steel or timber."

"_Why?_"

"We could order them in, but there's not enough manpower handle it," Paulie said with a frown. "We don't have the workers."

"_Why?_"

Slowly, Kaku spoke up. "We don't have the money to pay them," he said slowly, in his typical polite drawl. "Good shipwrights won't work for free."

"_Why?_"

"No funding," Lucci said quietly. Or rather, his pigeon Hattori seemed to speak through ventriloquism. The man's mouth barely twitched as he straightened his top hat. "Because no sponsor, most certainly not the government, would ever give money towards a plan like this."

"Exactly," Iceburg said simply, leaning back in his chair. "And suddenly all of the different problems turn into one; _money_. We could hire more men, we could order the materials, we could relocate everyone, and we could do quickly enough, _if we had the money_ to get things moving. All we need to get this project going is the proper funding."

All eyes were focused on him. Iceburg reached a decision. "You're the shipwrights, I'm the mayor," he said firmly. "It's my job to worry about things like money and funding, but it's not yours. Right now, I want you to work getting the plans in place; I want you to sort out hiring workers, I want you to source out suppliers, and I want designs drawn and prototypes built, and _I'll_ care about the cost. You just do your job, because there's no one better at that that you are, and I'll find a way to pay for it."

Slowly, he stood up from his desk. "We are the greatest shipwrights in the world," he said proudly. "It's time we showed the world what that actually means!"

Paulie smirked, respect glinting in his eyes. "You're a crazy bastard sometimes, you know that, Mr President?"

"Of course," Iceburg said with a broad smile. "If you're going to do something, do it with a Don! Who's with me?"

They all grinned. Even Lucci, normally so stoic, cracked a small smile. Lulu laughed, scratching at his pointy hair. "Alright, I never wanted an easy job, anyways," Lulu chuckled.

"Aye!" Tilestone cheered, slamming a muscled arm into the wall with a huge thump.

The discussion lasted for another hour, and one by one all of the shipwrights were left chattering happily about the project in front of them. Iceburg was grinning the entire time, feeling the familiar rush of the upcoming project. In Iceburg's opinion, all shipwrights were the same at heart; they were big children that could never back down from a challenge, and this might well be the biggest challenge they would ever face. The cost would be huge, but already the foremen didn't care.

By the time the last of the foremen left, Iceburg was left alone in his office with his secretary, breathing deeply as all the ideas and designs surrounded him. Crumpled papers with crude designs and drawings were scattered across the floor. Kalifa looked at the president of the Galley-La company in admiration.

"Sir, can I just say how inspiring you were then?" Kalifa said politely, straightening her glasses. "The way you rallied everyone together like that–"

"Kalifa," Iceburg said abruptly, staring intently at his desk. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could get lots of money from, do you?" Iceburg asked dumbly, shoulders slouching as he looked more clueless than ever.

"_You mean you don't know?!_"

* * *

"This city is amazing!" Luffy showed happily, staring upwards at the huge fountain towering over the city. "Whoa, look at the size of it!"

"And it might _just_ be big enough to cash in the gold we've got carrying around," Nami said with a happy sigh, staring at the giant block of gold they'd recovered from Enel's old ship. The gold was covered in a large tarpaulin, but it still seemed to have a weirdly magnetic aura.

"We'll never be able to cash _all_ of it in, mind," Vivi said grimly. "They might be able to exchange it to bearer bonds, but they've got limited use. Probably the best we could hope for is some kind of credit."

They were all out on deck, lazily watching the coast creep closer in the weak wind. Nami was at the prow, wearing a black shirt with a white tie and a short skirt, while Vivi was next to her, in a long blue sundress with sandals.

"You know a lot about this money stuff, Vivi," Luffy noted curiously.

"It's called economics," Vivi said, slightly coyly. "And I was a princess, you know."

"Well, we'll have to make do somehow," Nami said moodily. The thought of selling gold for anything other than cash stunk. "Right now, we've got to get docked and find someone to talk to about it."

They were sailing around the peninsula towards the back of Water 7. The city had been weirdly nonchalant about the pirates arriving, but they'd been advised to dock on the outskirts of the city rather than in the harbour. They were all eager as they pulled into an empty coast, but Luffy was so excited he was shooting sparks inadvertently.

"Alright, I'll stay and guard the ship," Tashigi offered, just as Chopper dropped the anchor. Zoro motioned that he'd stay with her. The two probably wanted some alone time.

"I need to stay and recharge the Dials," Conis said with a grimace. Wiper was busy as well working on the cannons. The Jet Dials on the bottom of the Merry had been spluttering for a while. "We're running on fumes right now. It'll be at least week before we're ready to sail again."

"I think I'll take Aisa into the city," Robin said. "I promised that I'd buy her new clothes."

The brown rags that Aisa had brought from Skypiea were getting uncomfortable, but the girl still pulled a face with the thought.

"I guess Chopper and I will go for supplies then," Sanji offered, a bit despondent at being away from the women. "He needs medicine and I'll get food."

Nami nodded approvingly. "Well, that leaves Usopp, Luffy, Vivi and I to go and see about the gold and the ship,"

Usopp nodded. He had known they had to buy a new ship for a long time, but he still wasn't eager about it. "Fine," he sighed, before frowning. "But absolutely no kissing or touching when we're out, you, um, _three_ – it's weird!"

Vivi blushed, and Luffy looked clueless. Nami just smirked and winked. "I make no promises," she said with sultry look.

Behind them, Sanji blinked repeatedly and turned and walked away. Usopp shivered, making a puking expression. "From now on…!" The sniper announced dramatically. "…I'm introducing a new rule! All forms of romantic intimacy among crew members is limited to handholding when in public!"

"And from now on, I'm ignoring that rule," Nami said cheerfully. "By the way Usopp, you've got to carry the gold."

"_Wha?!_" He shouted loudly. "How the hell am I meant to carry all that?!"

"Lift with your back," Nami said smugly, taking Luffy's hand and leading him down the gangway. "Come on, let's go."

Usopp was stammering helplessly as he looked at the tonnes of solid gold. Luffy glanced at Nami slightly uncomfortably.

"You're really mean sometimes, you know that?" He said finally.

The navigator pecked him on the cheek. "I know," she said happily. "I try."

* * *

Water 7 was every bit of an adventure as Luffy had hoped. It was a maze of canals and waterway streets. Their first stop was at the Bull rental shop, where Luffy spent ten minutes splashing water at the Yagara Bulls while the sea-horses tried to bite him. The amphibious Bulls were awkward and cumbersome as they splashed on land on four stubby flippers, but in water they were surprisingly tough and agile. Meanwhile, Nami argued with the man at the Bull rental, before finally renting three Yagara Bulls, as well one much larger Rabuka Bulls.

Compared to the playful Yagara, the Rabuka Bull looked like a completely different animal. Apparently, Rabuka Bulls were still a step down from King Bulls, yet it was still ten times the size of a Yagara, as well as with sharper teeth and a more predatory gaze. It wasn't playful and cute like the little ones, but more reserved and with a tendency to hiss violently. Usopp turned into a toad instinctively on seeing it, and from then onwards the Rabuka Bull stared at the marksman like he was a piece of Mizu Mizu Meat.

After a bit more arguing, they hired a barge from the rental place, attached it to the Rabuka Bull, and Nami ordered Usopp to steer the Bull back to the Going Merry, so they could load as much gold as possible on to the barge to transport into Water 7. Nami also ordered him to bring either Wiper or Zoro with him for protection, to which Usopp puffed out his chest indignantly. As Usopp struggled to steer the huge Bull out towards the ocean, Nami, Vivi and Luffy jumped onto their Yagara Bulls and set off exploring the hustling city.

"Whoa, this is place is incredible!" Vivi exclaimed eagerly, spurring her Bull onwards as they paddled over the canals. "Just look at all this architecture! All of the houses are built on the water, it must have taken ages!"

Nami was busy chatting up some shop owners, trying to find out the best place to go for a ship. It was impressive how, even in a completely foreign place, Nami could instantly take charge and take control. Meanwhile, Luffy and Vivi raced their Bulls around the crisscrossing canals, giggling as they paddled through the busy canals and around the barges. Fancy people wearing masks cast disapproving looks as Luffy and Vivi raced by, playing like children.

"These Bulls can even swim uphill!" Luffy cheered, as his Bull powered against the downwards stream. "They are sure are strong swimmers."

"Yeah!" Vivi laughed, as they emerged into a street of shops and merchants. Vivi faltered slightly. "…god, I miss swimming…" she muttered wistfully, thinking about when she never had a Devil fruit.

Luffy looked at her sympathetically. "I know," he nodded, before smiling. "But we can do other stuff too!"

With a flicker, a precise spark of lightning burst from his wrist, twisting in the air straight towards a shop stall. In a moment, the lightning twisted into a hand and Luffy grabbed a handful of Mizu Mizu Candy from the stall. A merchant screamed at the two of them, but Vivi burst out laughing and in an instant Luffy and Vivi vanished in a cloud of sand and sparks.

They both rematerialized in a nearby alley, on solid land, clutching the Mizu Mizu Candy and giggling and hiding like children as the shop owner roared by them. For a moment, Luffy's hand touched Vivi's, and they both stared at each affectionately. They were so close that their foreheads were nearly touching.

Vivi felt so warm, and happy. She never knew who moved forward first, her or Luffy, but slowly it seemed like they were both breathing deeply and their lips were inching closer and closer…

"Oi! Luffy the '_Devil'_!" A voice roared from behind, shocking them both. "Vivi the '_Desert_ _Princess'_! 350 million and 100 million!"

Luffy looked around in shocked, to see three large hulking men stomping towards him. They were all wearing goggles and armoured overalls, and clutching large swords. "We are the Franky Family professional bounty hunters!" The largest one roared. "And we will be taking your hea–"

Luffy's eyes flashed. "**You're** **interrupting!**" He snarled.

The blast of Haki took them all off guard. Without another sound, the three bounty hunters were toppling to the ground. Luffy took a deep breath, and glanced at Vivi sheepishly. "Sorry about that," he mumbled.

Vivi smiled softly, glancing over the unconscious bodies. "Don't be," she said simply, before a mischievous glint entered her eyes. "Come on." She clutched Luffy's hand tightly. "Let's go steal more stuff."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Left!" Usopp shouted furiously, tugging at the reins firmly. "Left! Other left! Not that left! Opposite left! Left left!"

The Rabuka Bull just snorted as it paddled through the water with ease, and Usopp was left shouting orders and tugging uselessly. Behind him, the large barge was left rocking in the water as the Bull splashed down the coast.

Usopp never even noticed the small rowboat creeping up from behind, right up until there was loud thunk of heavy guns being cocked. He turned, just to see four men clambering over the barge towards him.

"Freeze!" One of the bellowed with loud guffaw. "We're the Franky Family and your–"

Usopp turned away dismissively. "Yeah… I wouldn't stand there if I were you."

There was a pause. The bounty hunter's mouths dropped open in confusion. "It's hot today," Usopp explained apologetically, still struggling to control the Bull. "… I've been _sweating_ a lot."

No one said a word. As one, the raiders blinked. The air over the barge felt thick. They had assumed it had just been water moisture in the air. They were wrong. There was moment of silence as toxin soaked through their skin, followed by a thud as the Franky Family toppled backwards into a paralysed heap, muttering incoherently.

Usopp sighed, and paused to drop them back into the rowboat, and seconds later the men were floating away. Then, he returned to the reins of the Bull. "Left now!" Usopp ordered. "Ok, um… right, then. No, that's still right. I mean, that's the wrong right… right right!… Urgh, just turn around already!"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"That's it!" The salvagers roared as they charged up the gangway of the Going Merry. The Franky Family was having a bad day, and it was still morning. They had just received word that the rest of their group had been defeated, and so now they were taking no prisoners. A dozen bulky men charged towards the pirate deck, guns and cannons fully loaded, each of them roaring in anger.

On deck, Conis was the only one present. The angel was hunkered over the mast, inspecting the Dials at the base, as the Franky Family shambled towards her. She blinked repeatedly as a dozen weapons were pointed at her. There were swords and guns mixed in with wrenches and heavy tools.

"You there!" One of the Franky Family roared. He was a broad man with pointy black hair and tiny giggles. "Hand over any valuables and come with us, we're –"

"Is there a problem here?" A quiet voice asked dangerously, as a man walked out on to deck. Everyone turned to see the muscled man with tribal tattoos and a loincloth staring at them. Wiper's eyes were dark.

Instinctively, one of the Franky Family snatched his hand-cannon around to aim at the raider. Wiper was faster. In an instant, his bazooka was up off the ground and pointed straight at the leader's head, close range. As one, they all gulped.

The Burn Bazooka was three times the size of any weapon they had.

"_Anything I can help you with, gentlemen?!_" Wiper growled, in a voice so bloodthirsty that they all felt their inner rabbits squeak and run to hide under a rock.

There was a pause, followed by an awkward cough and a shuffle.

"…We're just going to be going now," the leader muttered quietly, before the rest of Franky Family turned and walked very quickly off the boat.

* * *

"I want to have a look at that train!" Luffy huffed. They'd seen the train station only from a distance, but Luffy had wanted a ride as soon as he glimpsed the puffing Sea Train. "That looked so cool!"

"There'll be time later," Nami said firmly. She had been questioning locals for information. "Right now we've got to go see about this ship. Apparently a guy named Iceburg is the one to see."

"Why not go to the city's exchange first and get our gold valued?" Vivi asked curiously.

Nami shook her head. "We've got too much," Nami said simply. "Considering how much we have to bargain with, I want to go straight to the top."

"Alright, then," Luffy said firmly, as they parked their Bulls and walked up towards the shipyards of Water 7. There was a crowd of workers milling about in front of a large gate, marked in bold letters as 'DOCK 1'. Luffy barged straight towards it. "_Excuse me_! Anyone here called Iceburg?" He shouted loudly. "Iceburg!"

"Don't just shout!" Nami and Vivi yelled together, rushing after him.

In an instant, there was a blur and a figure appeared, pushing Luffy backwards. "Ahem, you're not from here." A polite, almost elderly voice said suddenly, as a hand pushed against Luffy's forehead. "Let's talk outside."

Luffy blinked, but there was instantly a young man wearing a cap and a high-collared work jumper, tool belt on his waist, leading him backwards. "Sorry, only employees are allowed inside there," he said apologetically. "My name is Kaku, chief foreman of the Galley-La company, specialising in mechanics, diagnostics, and housecalls. What can I do for you?"

As one, the three pirates gasped as he turned around. The man was young, maybe even handsome, but his face was dominated by a huge, weirdly rectangular nose. In fact, everything about him seemed strangely… angular, even despite his baggy clothes.

"…Usopp?" Luffy muttered instinctively, at the sight of such a long nose. Nami elbowed him in the ribs softly.

Nami was the first to recover, blinking repeatedly. "…Um, hi… we'd like to meet Mr Iceburg. He's the president, right?"

"Oh, are you clients?" Kaku asked politely. He had a weirdly old-fashioned sounding voice. "Do you have any existing contract?"

"No, we'd just like to talk to him about commissioning a ship."

"Ah." He paused. "I am sorry, but for the foreseeable future, Dock One is devoted to a special project for the city, and Mr Iceburg attention is focused elsewhere. We are currently not accepting any new contracts or jobs."

Kaku's eyes were sympathetic. Nami's eyes widened. "What? But we really need –"

"There are seven individual docks in Water 7," Kaku reassured gently. "Dock One might be unavailable, but I assure you that the other six will be more than capable of meeting your requirements. Please take your pick and go talk to the other foremen."

"But Dock One is supposed to be the best, right?" Nami said firmly, folding her arms. "We really need the best for our next ship."

Kaku's smile was wooden. "I said that Dock One is not available –"

"Trust me," Nami said stubbornly. "As soon as Mr Iceburg learns what we're offering, he's going to want to talk to us!"

There was just a flicker in Kaku's eyes. Around them, the other shipwrights were starting to take notice. "I _did_ ask you to leave." Kaku's voice was slow and steady.

"…Nami…" Vivi hissed. "…This isn't the way we want–"

The navigator never seemed to hear her. Her face twisted with frustration. "We're high-paying customers, you know!" Nami said firmly. She pointed at Luffy angrily, who shifted awkwardly. "This guy has a bounty of 350 million! We _demand_ to speak to Mr Iceburg right–"

"Pirates are making trouble!" The cry rang through yard. In an instant, every shipwright seemed to have a weapon in hand, from hammers to saws to chisels. "Pirates are making trouble!"

Vivi's face paled. "We're not making trouble, we're just –"

Everyone ignored her. They were all rushing straight by, heading towards the adjacent dock. Kaku had vanished in less than a second. In the distance, there was the sound of gunshots echoing through the air. Nami blinked, glanced around, and then suddenly the three of them were running towards the action.

The really weird thing was how prepared the shipwrights seemed. Without hesitation, they were all revealing cannons and heavy artillery built into the dock. "…Bloody pirates always stirring trouble…" A shipwright grouched quietly as he passed, dragging a huge demi-cannon behind him with mild irritation.

"How dare you defy Captain Kibagaeru?!" A loud, angry voice yelled between the gunshots. "We came here for a ship and we're not leaving without –"

They saw the captain; a formally-dressed, heavy-set man with a thick moustache, but he was cut off as three of his men were sent flying through the air from a powerful kick. The man who kicked them was a medium-built carpenter in overalls, with a top hat and a pigeon on his shoulder, effortlessly cutting through the pirates with short lazy swipes.

There were dozens of pirates, but most of the shipwrights seemed to be only there to watch. The gunshots cut through the air, while around them the workers just glared with growing frustration. No one seemed that particularly concerned about the horde of angry pirates rampaging in the shipyard.

_These shipwrights are _tough, Nami realised suddenly, pale faced. She was instantly glad she hadn't picked the fight any further.

"Luffy," Vivi hissed quietly, glancing around at the chaos. "… we need to make an _impression_."

Luffy looked confused for a brief second, but then nodded, and cracked his knuckles. The lightning sparked. His body evaporated in a stream of pure orange light, zigzagging through the crowd with a crack like a whip. Everyone jumped. The pirates barely had time to scream.

The lightning cleaved through a dozen pirates in less than a second, sending the men shooting backwards into a smoking heap. The next dozen tried to flinch, just as the leg materialised out of thin air, and swept them up in a spinning kick at breakneck speed. By the third second, there was an abrupt gasp as a fork of electricity cut them off their feet.

The captain barely had time to gasp as Luffy rematerialized from the air, shooting towards him with a black-coated fist. Kibagaeru's eyes widened in fear at the immense killing intent, as Luffy's burning eyes burned into him. "–No, please, wait–"

Suddenly, before Luffy's fist could land, there was figure between them. Before anyone could blink, the shipwright in a top hat was standing there, grabbing a hold of Luffy's wrist to stop the punch. Luffy's paused in shock, coming face to face with the goateed man and his pigeon.

"This is _shipwright_ business," the pigeon said coolly, causing Luffy's mouth to drop open in surprise. The pigeon wore a tie. The world froze. "Outsiders shouldn't interfere."

Captain Kibagaeru blinked repeatedly, looking between the two of them, trembling heavily. His crew was scattered across the ground. "… Um, thank you, Lucci…" he stammered weakly. "… Thanks you so much–"

Without another word, Lucci's hand shot backwards. Lucci didn't even look around as his fist planted firmly into Kibagaeru's nose. The man toppled backwards like a domino, and with a calm stare focused on Luffy, Lucci slowly walked away.

Luffy scratched his head. "… Did that pigeon just _talk_?" He muttered incredulously, staring at Lucci in shock.

The pirates were all unconscious, but the crowd of shipwrights didn't move. Their weapons were still firmly in hand as they stared at Luffy quietly. Luffy faltered slightly, particularly as they seemed to circle around Nami and Vivi as well.

"That was a domestic matter. Your help was neither required nor appreciated." A voice said quietly. The crowd parted to reveal a well-dressed man in a red and orange striped suit, with blue hair, thick lips and stubble. He was flanked by an attractive blonde woman in high heels carrying a clipboard, and a scruffy man with a pair of goggles and a blue jacket, slowly wrapping up a long coil of rope. "It makes us look bad if we can't handle a simple pirate assault, and we shipwrights are a very proud bunch."

Luffy hesitated. Nami, forced a smile, extending her hand. "Mr Iceburg, I presume…?"

"Don't touch him!" The blonde woman snapped suddenly, straightening her glasses, as she looked ready to attack. Everything about her was so prim, proper and attractive, from her low cut cleavage to her immaculate hair. Nami stared with instant dislike. "Mr Iceburg is a very powerful man!"

_Huh, there really is such a thing as hate at first sight_, Nami thought quietly, eyes narrowing.

"Kalifa, please," Iceburg said quickly, with just a hint of fear as he looked at his secretary. He turned back to the pirates with a small smile. "Nevertheless, I understand why you might feel the need to help, so thank you. Now then, if you're not going to cause any trouble, then we can proceed happily."

There was a subtle question in the statement. "We're here to commission a ship," Vivi explained politely. "We've got gold, we're willing to pay."

"Kalifa, could you hand them a catalogue?" Iceburg asked politely, as his secretary handed over a sheet of paper. "All of the ships we build are in there. You have to go to one of the other docks; however, Dock One is reserved."

"I did ask them to leave," Kaku commented, slightly indignantly.

We need a special ship, though, we've got gold!" Nami said firmly. "_Lots_ of gold."

The man with the rope, Paulie, seemed to perk up at statement. "When you say _lots_…" He muttered eagerly, just before Lucci casually swatted him over the head with a hammer.

"The exchange is in the lower city, just take the Aqua Elevator," Kalifa said rather chillily.

"…Yeah, about that…" Vivi said slowly. "We can't. The amount of gold wouldn't fit through the canals, for starters."

There was a quiet pause. There was just a flicker in Iceburg's eyes. "… Exactly how much gold are you talking about here?"

Nami and Vivi looked at each other. Luffy grinned. "Usopp's back," he said simply, folding his arms as he felt the presence enter his radar. "And he's brought the gold."

There was a dull splashing noise as they heard the Rabuka Bull clambering out of the Sea Elevator. Despite the animal's size, it looked like it was having a lot of trouble dragging the large barge behind it. The barge was floating very low in the water, with a huge block covered in a tarpaulin in the centre. Luffy felt Usopp, Zoro and Wiper all sitting on the barge.

"Hey! Luffy!" Usopp shouted, waving happily.

Zoro was at the reins, and for some reason the Bull obeyed him perfectly. The swordsman glanced at the crowd of armed shipwrights and the unconscious pirates littering the floor. "You didn't start the fight without us, did you Luffy?" The swordsman asked with a vicious smile, unsheathing his swords.

"No one's fighting!" Nami bellowed quickly. "Just bring it over!"

Luffy turned and grinned. "You were wondering how much gold we have?" He said cheerfully, before leaping into the air. He easily hopped on mid-air, running across the waterway to the barge. It took a very observant man to see the slight flicker in Lucci's eyes.

Luffy hovered above the block, clutching at the tarpaulin, tightly. All eyes were on him. _"…This_ is how much gold we have!" He shouted, before yanking the heavy sheet off.

As it happens, he made a mistake. The sun was bright, the sky was clear, and the gold was very, very shiny. They were lucky that no one was permanently blinded by the sight.

The gold seemed to glitter audibly in the sun. For a second, the entire shipyard was left speechless. The only sound was of Paulie toppling backwards to the ground.

* * *

_Two frantic hours later…_

"_How_ much?" Iceburg demanded finally. Every foreman and officer was crowded into the mess hall, eagerly demanding answers, along with merchants and businessmen. It was no surprise that everyone in the whole city knew about the giant block of gold within minutes. _The damn thing was as bright as a bloody lighthouse_, Iceburg thought angrily, his eyes still raw.

The appraiser, a man named Ishigo Shitemanna, looked nervous at being in the centre of such a crowd, all staring at him intently. He was a pale, skinny man with short hair and a thick black moustache. "Well…" Ishigo gulped. "The gold appears extremely high quality. Of course, actually assigning a value to it becomes very difficult; there are refinements costs, for instance, and I can't actually inspect all of the gold in such a large… ahem… _block_. On top of that, we've got depreciation and exchange rates, which become very significant for–"

"Just give us an estimate of how much it's worth," Iceburg said impatiently.

"The _real_ estimate," Paulie added, who was well aware of how appraisers worked. "_Not_ the estimate you would give to customers."

Ishigo cleared his throat slowly, visibly hesitating. In truth, the appraisal had been very simple; he knew the value of gold, he knew the mass of the block, what was next had been just basic maths. The complicated bit had been trying to look for reasons to reduce that value, because the number he had come up with was far, far too big.

"Like I said, it is very high quality. Extraordinarily high quality, in fact." Enel had most certainly done a good job when it came to building his ship. "I have never seen quality like it, most certainly not in such quantities…" The appraiser looked around the looks he was getting, and then relented. "Overall, I would value the gold to be worth approximately… well, 1.8 billion Beli seems a reasonable figure."

There was a long silence. The sound was finally broken by Paulie collapsing out of his chair and beginning to gag, eyes bulging.

"…When you say _billion_…" Iceburg said finally.

Ishigo nodded tiredly. "That's right. With a 'b'."

Paulie was still rolling on the ground, choking loudly. It took Lulu and Tilestone to try and get him to breathe again. Iceburg sighed, turning to Kaku and Kalifa.

"You inspected their ship, right?" Iceburg asked finally. They both nodded. "What is the situation there?"

"There ship is a Class C Caravel," Kaku explained. "Fairly small and decent, but it is also very badly damaged. So badly damaged that it's a wonder they made it here, in fact, that system of 'Dials' they've got is really quite interesting."

Kaku checked his notes. "Aside from the big block of gold, they also have many other valuables on the ship," he paused, looking at the notes he made. The Going Merry had been so cramped with valuables stuff in every corner it had taken ages to sort through it. "It seems that they raided an ancient civilisation and a high-class vessel on their way here. They have cash, more gold, assorted jewellery, fine fabrics, old weapons, miscellaneous valuables… overall, I would guess that total value of everything on their ship… maybe 500 million?"

"And that's not including the Devil fruits," Kalifa added. "They also have… um… _nine_ uneaten Devil fruits on-board; some identified, some not," she said, deliberately discounting the ones that had been given to inanimate objects. "Now the Devil fruit market is extremely volatile, but assuming that each of them is worth 100 million then…"

Iceburg paused as he added it up quickly. "So let me get this straight… the total value of everything that these pirates have to barter with…" he said slowly. "…is _3.2 billion_ Beli?"

There was a strained scream. Paulie clutched his heart as if was about to explode; face pale, eyes bulging. "For god's sake, stop it with the numbers already!" Lulu shouted in worry. "Paulie can't take anymore!"

"And they want a ship right?" Lucci asked quietly, arms folded.

"Hell, for that amount they could buy a bloody _fleet_," Tilestone grumbled.

Iceburg's eyes flickered, musing quietly. "Well, let's just give them a ship!" A foreman from another dock shouted. "This'll be the most profitable sale we've ever made!"

Kaku shook his head. "They don't just want a ship, and they're not interested in a fleet," he said carefully. "They want the _best_ ship. They want a ship on the level of the _Oro Jackson_."

The name said murmurs through the whole. _That_ ship had been mentioned only in hushed whispers in Water 7, sometimes in awe, other times in disgust. Iceburg remained completely quiet.

"I've got _another_ idea," a man announced boldly. "We'll take the gold, and then we'll send word to the World Government about the pirates! Let the Marines chase them away and we'll keep the money."

There were more than a few shouts of agreement. Iceburg's hands tightened. "The total value of the pirates' bounties…" Kalifa said dispassionately, checking the notes. "… 840 million. Even if the Government demands a slice, it would be extremely profitable for us."

There were more than a few that bristled at the thought. "What about our _pride_ as shipwrights?" Tilestone bellowed. "If we sell-out our customers, who is ever going to come to us again?"

"Good!" Another merchant snapped back. "It'd be great if the _pirates_ stop coming to Water 7; they don't pay well and all they do is stir up trouble. The _Government_ contracts are the only ones we need to stay in business!"

Iceburg stayed quiet. Slowly, Kalifa bent down to whisper in his ear. "Sir…" she said cautiously. "Remember what happened to Tom when he built the Oro Jackson. The Government might look the other way if we repair the occasional pirate ship, but if we built a ship like _this_… this high profile… well, we'd be asking for trouble."

Others seemed to be having similar thoughts. "We can't afford to endanger our Government contracts!" Someone yelled. "Let's take the money and throw these pirates out of town!"

The argument was slowly heating up. Iceburg sat thinking about it for a long time. Finally, he could take no more. "We are _not_ thieves," the president said coldly, in a voice that made them all pause. "We will never, so long as I am breathing, scam anyone like that. We've all worked too hard building our reputation, and that is more important than any amount of money."

There was a pause. Quite a few people looked unhappy, but they backed down. Iceburg took a deep breath, and continued. "But we do need the money," he said slowly. "Send word to Mr Luffy. The Galley-La Company is proud to accept their commission."

_There is an opportunity here_, Iceburg thought carefully, mind spinning. Even more important than money, a shipyard relied on individual skills. If he announced that Water 7 was making a ship, a one of kind ship, the greatest ship, then that would be a challenge that would call to every professional shipwright in the world. _I could turn this in to a project big enough to unite every shipwright, carpenter and engineer around, and bring them together. Bringing them together is the important bit._

The floating city of Water 7 was absolutely vital. He could use this commission as a dry run; a method of getting the flaws out of his company and embracing a massive undertaking. It would motivate his workers, and once they succeeded, they would be eager to start on the next task; turning Water 7 into a floating island.

_This is an opportunity. If I play my cards, I could achieve all of the funding and influence I need for the next project_, Iceburg decided; _Right now, I just to need the build the greatest ship of the era_.

Water 7 was nothing if not proud. There was no way he'd let them build anything but the absolute best.

Iceburg was a shipwright done to his soul, and his fingers twitched in anticipation. His heart fluttered as he imagined what Tom would say about him now.

Around him, a lot of the hall was in chaos. The accountants and the politician might be terrified, but Iceburg knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had the approval of the shipwrights, the real shipwrights among them. The president was giddy like a schoolchild, already trying to visualise a class of ship that would be worth billions.

Meanwhile, among the chaos of arguing and debate, no one noticed that Lucci sat perfectly still, staring intently at the table.

* * *

The gold barge was at the centre of a huge crowd of civilians and shipwrights alike. There were children clambering up to try and touch it, while men stood guard to stop anyone chiselling pieces off. Twice, they had to stop Paulie.

The pirates were being treat like VIPs. Already, they were given permission to move their ship into a secure dock, while the pirates themselves were set up in Chiza Hotel, a fancy five-star resort in the centre of the city.

It was no surprise everyone was so excited. Large parts of the city were still badly damaged after the recent Aqua Laguna, and a lot of their contracts had been drying up. There were a lot people that had been scared about the future of the city. A couple of thousand tonnes of gold, however, _that_ got people excited.

No one noticed a tall man in a cloak, standing out of sight in an alley, staring intently at the barge. Around him, two dozen men in salvaged armour crept up next to him. The Franky Family was quiet.

Finally, the tall man cracked his knuckles. "Boys!" Franky announced loudly. "… _I want that gold!_"

* * *

_Meanwhile_…

"Wow, there really _is_ a pretty girl underneath all of that," Robin teased gently, slowly brushing the girl's hair out of her face. Aisa had been trying to grow her hair longer, but it was still almost always messy.

"Shut up!" Aisa pouted, but she was laughing as well while Robin rummaged through the pile of clothes. Aisa had changed out of her old brown fur dress and cap, trying on a comfy yellow shirt with jeans. They had been through a half a dozen shops already, picking out outfits and trying on clothes.

"How about this as well?" Robin suggested sweetly, holding out a dark blue ribbon for her hair.

Aisa hesitated. "I liked my cap," she muttered.

"Well, we can buy you new hats," Robin suggested. "But you've got such lovely hair; you should show it off a bit more."

"Alright," Aisa conceded, while Robin fastened her hair slowly into a pony tail.

"How do they feel?" Robin asked curiously, while Aisa did a little spin in her new clothes.

"They're soft," Aisa admitted. "Not itchy at all."

"You'll get used to it," Robin reassured. "What do you try on next?"

Together they went through a dozen more shops, with Aisa rummaging through clothes while Robin softly sweet-talked their way out of any complaints. Clothes shopping was a new experience for Aisa, but was one that she greatly enjoyed with Robin picking out clothes for her. By the time they were done, Aisa had two big bags of new clothes, and afterwards they walked idly through the narrow streets and bridges, walking hand in hand, before stopping off for ice cream.

"Can we buy Wiper some new clothes too?" Aisa asked eventually.

"I think that's a great idea," Robin said with a nod. "I expect everyone is tired of that loincloth."

Then, they went looking for men's shops, with Aisa taking the lead bossily while Robin just casually suggested what looked nice. A comfortable, happy atmosphere settled between them; Robin was a quiet person, but she was quite content to just relax and listen to Aisa's pleasant chattering.

Robin also picked up a jacket for Luffy, just because.

As the shops slowly started to close, they decided to go back. They kept on holding hands, but Aisa walked so closely next to Robin that she was almost hugging her leg.

Robin was smiling softly as she walked, glancing down at the little girl. A weird wave of peace passed through as she looked Aisa's wide, joyful eyes. The memory of what Robin had been like at that age was never far from her mind…

_I'm happy now_, Robin realised slowly. It was such a weird, weird thought to think.

"Let's go up to the docks," Robin decided suddenly. "Let's see how Luffy and the others are doing with the ship."

Aisa agreed happily, and Robin called for a Yagara Bull taxi to take them up the Aqua Elevator. Aisa whooped the whole journey, and the taxi driver laughed and complemented Robin on her daughter. Robin didn't reply, but her smile felt a lot more natural as they headed towards the centre of Water 7.

By the time they found the others, the pirates were in the centre of a bustle of people demanding attention. They were parked in front of a huge barge of gold, quickly drawing more and more people.

Luffy perked up as soon as he saw Robin approach. Aisa rushed up to meet him. "Hey Robin!" He shouted, pushing his way through the crowd to meet them. "_Hey Aisa!_" He quickly hugged the girl, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. "This place is great, right?"

Robin chuckled. She was left carrying all the bags from shopping, of course, but she really didn't mind as Aisa excitedly began telling about everything she bought. Around them, Nami was snapping at everyone who got too close to the gold, while Usopp was revelling in the attention and Wiper and Zoro were to one side, talking with the shipwrights.

"Where's Vivi?" Robin asked curiously.

"Oh, she went to negotiate details with the Iceburg guy about our ship," Luffy explained, slightly sheepishly. Originally, Nami had tried to negotiate, but it quickly became apparent that the navigator's idea of 'negotiation' involved everyone doing exactly what she said for free. Vivi proved much, much better at negotiation than Nami was. "Come on, I'll introduce you to these shipwright guys."

Aisa rushed for eagerly with Luffy, while Robin followed slowly from behind. She felt so relaxed, even in a crowd of unfamiliar people, that she barely even paid attention to what he was saying. Robin only briefly heard the names of the foremen as they were introduced. Tilestone. Lulu. Paulie. Kaku.

Luffy paused. "Oi, pigeon guy!" He shouted loudly. "I never got your name!"

"Pigeon guy?" Aisa asked curiously.

"Oh, don't worry, the pigeon doesn't actually speak," Luffy said in a hushed whisper, like a child revealing a big secret. "He's just a ventriloquist."

…

Robin froze. Everything seemed to stop the moment her brain registered those words. Her heart was seemed to halt for a few seconds. Vaguely, she was aware of a man being introduced to Aisa behind her, but Robin never turned around.

Her breathing was slow and deep. Her body tensed. She wasn't quiet sure when she realised, whether it was from the shadow of his top hat, or that quiet, soundless way that he walked. Strangely, it was his scent that she recognised most distinctly; dark, musky and sharp.

She was in a crowd surrounded by people, but, suddenly, it was just her and _him_.

"Hello there. You can call me, Lucci, miss." His voice introduced with quiet pleasantness. "I'm the chief foreman, sawyer, treenail, and bolt specialist."

_Run_. The thought was almost overpowering. She almost screamed and yelled the word out. Her legs twitched as she wanted to race away from there as fast as possible. Robin heard Aisa gush giddily over the apparently talking pigeon, but it was so hard for her to concentrate on anything but the mind-numbing dread. As soon as she felt him tap her on the back politely, her heart was beating furiously.

Robin didn't want to have to turn around. She had had nightmares about being face to face with him again.

Still, slowly, almost hypnotically, she felt her legs shift and as she slowly turned around.

He looked exactly how she remembered him. Neatly shaven, tall and slim, but strong, with dark, piercing and a lie concealing who he really was. Wearing his work clothes, he looked down to earth, honest and reliable, but Robin had seen what he really was.

_He's not wearing his suit_, Robin thought dumbly. _He looks so much better in his suit_…

"Good evening," Rob Lucci said politely, extending his hand. His eyes showed no hint of recognition. "Nico Robin, was it? It's a pleasure to meet you."

She never moved. Around her, the crowd was big and busy and no one, not even Luffy, was paying them much attention. Her eyes were focused the firmly on Lucci's. His were completely impassive, focused, perhaps even bored. The last time he had looked at her like that had been when he had nearly murdered her…

"If you say anything…" Lucci said in the exact same tone of voice, but quieter so only she could hear. "…Then I will kill everyone here."

He paused, motioning discreetly to Aisa. "…_Starting_ with the little girl."

The seconds dripped by slowly. _Run_. Robin felt her heart pounding in her chest so hard she felt woozy. She had to blink to stop the tears. _God no_, she thought frantically; _I just wanted a bit more time_…

Lucci's eyes didn't falter. Robin knew that she had about three seconds before the crowd was about to get very, very bloody. A different Robin would have let it – that might well be her only opportunity to escape. Then, she glanced at Aisa and she realised that she couldn't.

Finally, Robin extended out her hand and took his. Lucci's grip was soft.

"Good evening, Rob Lucci," Robin said with a forced smile. Her grip tightened. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

**Side Story: **

**The Peril of the Water 7 Customer Design Team**

* * *

_Like in any engineering challenge, there is always a procedure involved. Even before the shipwrights touched a piece of wood or the accountants counted a single coin, the starting point involved the customer approaching suppliers with a problem. In a bespoke contract, particularly with such a high value attached, it leads to an extremely dubious and challenging requirement that so many engineers fail to appreciate…_

* * *

"Good evening!" The man said brightly, straightening his colourfully striped suit. "My name Ayumu and this is my partner, Arata," he motioned to a round, jovial man hunched over a drawing desk. "We are the customer design team for Dock One! At the Galley-La Company, we strive to provide maximum customer satisfaction, and provide designs that meet _your_ requirements!"

Ayumu motioned towards a collection of technical drawings hung from the walls, showing the blueprints of ships of many different sizes. "Now then, our experienced team is capable of providing the technical specification, design, and construction, but at _this_ stage in the process," Ayumu explained brightly. "We want the customer specification – we want to establish what _you_ want in your ship, to ensure that the final product is to everyone's satisfaction!"

Nami blinked, looking between the two men who were both smiling brightly. Ayumu sat down next to her, while Arata's had a sharpened pencil poised over the drawing board, ready to sketch.

"Now then, I know that it seems like daunting task," Ayumu said with an understanding smile. "It is difficult for people to be to verbalise what they want until they actually see it. However, as part of the Galley-La Company's _commitment_ to outstanding customer service, my colleague and I…" Arata waved cheerfully from his desk. "… will be here to walk you through every step of the journey!"

"To help you get started, he's a question sheet to help you think about the requirements you want from your vessel." Ayumu handed Nami a piece of paper, filled with questions such as '_If your ship was an animal, what sort of animal would you want?_'. Nami read it with growing confusion. "Now, I'm here to discuss the specification with you, while Arata will sketch out a rough solution to help you focus. At the end of the session, we will have a list of _your_ requirements, and which we will pass on to the next stage of the design to create technical solutions, to ensure that this vessel is perfect for you." His smile widened. "Right now, it's not your job to worry about practicalities or implementation – feel free to ask for absolutely anything you want!"

Nami paused. "So, basically…" she said carefully. "…I just say what I want the ship to be like, and you'll find a way to do it?"

"Absolutely!" Ayumu said happily. "It's our job to work with _you_. We will be having the same discussion with all of your crewmates in turn, individually, to ensure that they all have their input. And I know, it's awkward to get started, but we're here for as long as it…"

His voice trailed off as Nami pulled out a notepad covered in neat bullet-points. _Lots_ of bullet-points. Ayumu's voice faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "Ah, you've come prepared!" He said with a bright smile. "That's brilliant!"

"Yep!" Nami returned his smile, except hers had more sinister undertones. "Let's get started."

She flickered through the pages to the beginning. "Ok, first thing, I want a tangerine grove on deck," Nami explained. "I had one on the Going Merry, it'd be good to get a bit bigger one this time."

Ayumu nodded. Arata was already at work, quickly sketching out a possibility. Greenery was awkward on a ship; it required soil, irrigation and maintence, all of which was hard to place with limited space and weight, but it wasn't impossible. "Alright," Ayumu said with a nod, making a note. "How many trees would you want?"

"I don't know – maybe a dozen?" Nami suggested.

He nodded, estimating the area required but adding a question mark. "That'll be fine."

"Ok, next…" Nami mused. "Oh, on this ship, I'd like a big apple tree as well. I was thinking the apple tree in the centre, the tangerines around it to make it look nice."

Ayumu paused, glancing at Arata. "An _apple_ tree?"

"That's right."

"But apple trees require – what? _Eight_ feet of soil?" Ayumu said hesitantly, his engineer's brain already straining with the challenges of fitting something like that on a deck.

"I know," Nami nodded. "But you can do that, right?"

There was barely a falter. Arata crumbled up his sketch and started again. "Absolutely!" Ayumu said, bright smile returning. "Next?"

Nami returned to her notes. "Ok… so… we were on this island a while ago, and there was this mad guy who had a big ship that he used to control the weather, alright?" Nami explained. "And he had these big, weaponised… um… _cloud machines_ that he pumped out into the atmosphere, and used them to create lightning storms."

There was a pause. Nami looked at the men expectantly. Ayumu blinked repeatedly. "… You want one of these… 'cloud machines' on your ship too?" He asked finally.

"I was thinking _two_ of them, actually," Nami said with a smile. "You know; one at the front, one at the back. That'd be really useful."

There was a longer pause. The two men looked at each other confusedly. "…Weaponised cloud machines like that don't _exist_," Arata said finally. "There's no such thing available."

"But you can invent one, _right?_" Nami said simply, staring at them intently.

Curiously, after a pause, Ayumu reached over to look at Nami's list. Her requirements didn't get any more reasonable, and it was a long list. After a few minutes of flicking through the pages, Ayumu stood up.

"…I think we're going to need more coffee," he said finally, struggling to keep up the company-mandated smile.

* * *

_Three hours later_…

Nami left the session with all of her points ticked off. The Customer Design Team was left in various states of shock. There were crumpled papers littered across the floor.

"She wants a bloody _weather machine_!" Arata hissed in quiet despair. "How the hell are we going to build something like that?!"

"I know, I know!" Ayumu gulped. "Look, every design has it's challenges, right? We can overcome it!"

"But the things that she wants –!" Arata hissed, motioning to the working specification.

"Mr Iceburg himself said that this has to be the best ship ever!" Ayumu said quietly. "They're _paying_ for the best ship ever! We are seriously not allowed to say no to anything they ask for!"

"Then let's just pray that the next one –"

He was cut off as suddenly Vivi walked into the room. At once, Ayumu was all smiles, straightening down his suit even if his nerves were a little frayed. "Good evening!" Ayumu said pleasantly. "We're the Dock One customer design team! You tell us what you want, and we'll ensure it goes into the final design!"

"That's brilliant!" Vivi said cheerfully, shaking his hand. "There was one thing I was quite keen on actually."

"Oh really?" Ayumu said happily, taking a seat. "Do tell."

"Well, I'm grew up in a palace, you see," Vivi explained, slightly sheepishly. "And they had this big bathhouse, with a sauna, and a spring, and I was thinking, 'wouldn't be great if there was a ship with a sauna in it?'"

Ayumu blinked. "You want a _sauna_?" He repeated slowly. "In a _ship_?"

Fresh water was severely limited on a ship. So was fuel. The idea of building something as wasteful and space intensive as a sauna on-board made his head hurt ache. The piping alone could give an engineer a migraine.

"Yeah." Vivi nodded. "You know, a big place where everyone could just relax, with hot water and steam…"

"Oh," Ayumu muttered in a strained voice. "A _big_ sauna."

"I was thinking it'd be made out marble, with proper statues and sculptures," Vivi said wistfully, thinking back to the palaces of Alubarna Palaces. "Something really tasteful."

Ayumu twitched silently. Arata sighed and went to get more paper. "Marble?" He croaked. _How the hell would you fit a marble room into a ship? How much that weigh? How could you ever hold it together?_ "You really want _marble_?"

"Of course," Vivi said with a nod. "Anything else would look too cheap."

Ayumu made a noise vaguely similar to a cat being choked.

* * *

_Two hours later…_

"…A marble fucking bathhouse! With statues!" Arata hissed furiously once Vivi had left.

"We'll handle it!" Ayumu muttered, taking a deep gulp of coffee.

"But how are we ever going to get the water?" He hissed. "You'd need a tank of water thirty metres high to hold it all!"

There was a knock as the next crewmember arrived. Ayumu gulped and tried to freshen up, taking off his tie and throwing it to the ground. The formally neat office was covered in old sketches and dirty mugs of coffee. Usopp hesitated just before he walked in. "Hi, is this customer design team thing?" He asked brightly.

"Hmm-hmm," Ayumu nodded forcing a smile as Arata took his position back at the drawing board. "Please, tell us what you want."

"Great! This is exciting, we're designing the next ship!" Usopp said eagerly, sitting down.

"Yeah," Ayumu choked. The thought of the bathhouse still haunted his mind. "_Exciting_."

"So, I've had this _great_ idea," Usopp said brightly, holding out his hands. "…How about we put a big _waterfall_ on deck of the ship?"

The only sound was Arata slowly but forcefully banging his head off the drawing board.

* * *

_Two coffee-fuelled hours later_…

"What do want?" Ayumu growled frustrated as the next crewmember knocked on the door. His patience was rapidly burning out.

"Well, _good evening_ to you too," Wiper snarled, pushing his way into the room. "This is place where I get to say what I want on this ship, right?"

"Yes," Ayumu nodded weakly. "Come in."

The office looked vaguely like a warzone. Arata was stuck to drawing board, his pencil worn down to a stub, with a big bruise on his forehead. Ayumu went straight for another cup of coffee.

"So… what would _you_ like on this ship?" Ayumu muttered, looking down at his notes. At some point, his notes had transformed into a sketch of a bloated man screaming angrily.

"I want a cannon," Wiper said firmly.

"Alright," Ayumu muttered, as Arata quickly sketched a cannon on the template of a ship. Wiper looked at the sketch and shook his head.

"No," he said firmly. "I want a _big_ cannon."

Arata frowned, quickly erasing the cannon and drawing another much larger on the sketch. Wiper shook his head.

"Nope. Bigger."

He tried again, this time sketching one so big it dominated the whole deck. Again, the raider shook his head.

"You're really underestimating the size of the cannon I'm after here," Wiper said firmly.

He sighed, before grabbing the eraser and rubbing out the whole ship, and replacing the boat with an enormous floating cannon with a sail attached. Wiper nodded approvingly.

"Yep," he said firmly. "That's a _bit_ better."

The customer design team stared at each other. "_More coffee!_" They both decided at once.

* * *

S_ome amount of time later (it became hard to keep track)_…

"So…" Tashigi said finally, with a smile. "Don't worry, I know how this works. I'm going to keep it simple."

The two men looked wrecked. They had both seemingly aged ten years in one afternoon. Tashigi just smiled as she slowly handed over a pile of papers towards them.

"What's this?" Ayumu muttered, glancing at the pile of papers. The front cover was marked 'TOP SECRET' in big, black formal writing.

"_That_ is a summary of the Marine's most recent technological advances when it comes to ship-making and weaponry," Tashigi said proudly. She had claimed the papers from some of her old Marine contacts. "Including cutting-edge technology from Dr Vegapunk himself. Basically everything high-tech that the Marines are doing is in those papers."

Arata was currently folding paper planes out of old sketches in despair. Ayumu blinked as he rifled through the papers. There were at least a hundred pages; all written in very complex language and very small font. The pictures looked even more confusing than the words. "…And from _here_…" Ayumu muttered in quiet dread. "…what exactly do you want in your ship?"

Tashigi smiled. "Everything." She said happily. "_Everything_ that is in those papers, I want you to put in the ship."

The customer design team turned to stare at each with a look that was normally seen on people waiting on death row. "You know what?" Arata said to Ayumu finally. "Fuck the coffee. Bring out the booze."

* * *

_Time some later_…

"Oh sure!" Ayumu said cheerfully through slurred syllables, taking another swig of ale. "You want the swimming pool to be how many metres deep? We can do that!"

"Great, I was thinking three metres at least. You know what? Make it four," Sanji said happily, quite enjoying himself. The customer design team had been really accommodating to his requests. "How about an aquarium as well, then? Then we could catch live fish, and put them in aquarium to cook later!"

"Brilliant!" Ayumu said loudly, taking another deep gulp. "How about we put _two_ aquariums in there? Then you could put big fish in one and small fish in the other?"

"Really?" Sanji asked curiously. "You can do that? Aren't there size and weight restrictions here?"

"Nah!" Ayumu belched, before taking such a large gulp that he nearly drowned. "It's not a problem! Isn't that right, Arata?"

"Yep!" Arata yelled, even though they were only three feet away. He was currently sketching a giant three eyed monster with tentacles. "Not a problem! We're _engineers_!" He took a long gulp. "We can do _anything_!"

* * *

…_later_…

"Yes, a room made only out of cotton candy really is a completely great and totally possibly idea," Ayumu muttered sleepily, scrawling a note on his paper and taking another shot. He was so drunk that he completely missed his mouth, and he ended up pouring the bottle out on to the floor.

"Wow," Chopper said in awe. "So you can build the cotton candy room, then?"

Unfortunately, Chopper was too naive to recognise extreme drunkenness/complete lack of hope. Ayumu mumbled something that vaguely sounded affirmative. Next to him, Arata was almost comatose, lying fetal position on the floor.

"How about the sakura cannons, then?" Chopper asked eagerly.

Ayumu tried to shrug, but large portions of his body weren't working anymore. "Sure," he muttered hopelessly. He was out of ale and not quite unconscious yet. "We can build cannons that shoot sakura trees."

"No, they don't have to shoot _whole_ sakura–" Chopper paused, thinking about it. "Actually, never mind. On second thought, cannons that shoot whole trees are much better."

"Right-o…" he muttered, stammering weakly. "…Anything else…?"

Chopper thought about it for a long time. "Hmmm…" The image of the castle where he had lived with Dr. Kureha flickered to mind. That had been a nice castle. "Say, could we put a stone castle on our ship?"

Ayumu really, really wished he had more ale. "Sure," he said, as his eyes were crying softly. "In fact – what the hell? Let's just build the whole ship out of stone."

The customer design team really was not proud of the things that happened that night.

* * *

_One long, long night later…_

Ayumu groaned as he felt his buzz disappear as he stared at his office. The floor was covered with papers, books, bottles and cups. Also, he wasn't wearing any pants anymore; he wasn't quite sure when or how he lost them, but they were gone. Next to him, Arata looked just as wrecked.

Their customer specification had filled up two whole notebooks and half of the ceiling. The ship was currently required to be about two kilometres long to fit it all in. At some point during the night, the list had grown to include 'dinosaur theme park' – Ayumu honestly wasn't sure where _that_ had come from.

Still, it was nearly over. The two men looked at each with absolute hopelessness, like men who had run out of will to live, but just wanted to get it over with. They had very nearly been through the entire crew.

It was a long standing tradition in ship design that, while all the crewmembers had their say, the captain would always be interviewed last, so he would have the final opinion. Both men collapsed into their positions, waiting that final knock on the door.

Finally, it came. Hesitantly, Luffy walked into the room. "Hey," he greeted dumbly. "Is this the right place?"

Ayumu nodded. "Good eveni–" He paused, glancing to the window. It was light outside. "Good morning. Sit down. Tell us what you want."

Kicking the bottles out of the way, Luffy slowly sat down, looking at them expectantly. There was a pause.

"Well?" Ayumu snapped. "Get it over with. What do you want in this ship?"

Luffy blinked, but then he nodded. "Alright." The captain thought about it for a while. "How about padded cushions on my special seat? It gets a bit uncomfortable sitting on their sometimes."

They both stared at him expectantly. No one made a note of the suggestion. "Um… how about a way to fasten the table and the chairs onto the floor?" He said brightly. "They always roll around a bit in rough waves?"

Arata and Ayumu were tense, staring at him intently. "_And?_" Arata demanded hoarsely, like a man preparing for the axe.

"Hmm…" He thought it about for a while. "Oh! How about adjustable hooks for the hammocks! Sometimes you just want to move your hammock into a different position, so…"

Their looks were tortured. "_And?!_" Arata demanded intensely.

Luffy just looked confused. "Aren't you going to demand an armoury, and then that we fill that armoury with rare swords?" Ayumu said in a croak. "Or how about the fifteen metre giant sword as a figurehead? Or how about the _dolphin stables_? Or the _aviary_? Or the bloody _duck cannon?!_"

"_Just what do you want!?_" Arata screamed in pure desperation, looking at Luffy with crazed eyes.

"I don't have anything like that," Luffy said simply, moving backwards a little bit. He thought about it slowly. "… No, I'm pretty much sorted."

The words rang in the air. Slowly, Ayumu moved to curl up in a ball, crying in blessed relief. Arata collapsed over the drawing board. Luffy just scratched his head.

"Well…" Luffy said after a moment's pause. "I guess there is _one_ more thing…"

Ayumu looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Huh?" He muttered. "What?"

Luffy smiled. "I want the ship to fly."

* * *

And so, early morning, the city of Water 7 was awakened by the sound of a drawing table being thrown out of a window of the Galley-La building, with great prejudice.

That pretty much set the theme for the entire design.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Firstly, about the poll. Thank you very much to everyone who's voted, though, I've got to say, I'm a bit surprised about some of the results. I figured I'll leave the poll up for another week, just in the hope that ones that I like are voted up to the top :)**

**This chapter pretty much sets up the Water 7 arc, as well as the next ship that they're going to get. I actually do really like this one.**

**As for the side story, well, anyone who's ever worked in engineering knows how horrible the customer specification really is. Honestly, what I wrote there isn't so ridiculous. In fact, it's pretty much an accurate description of what happened when Windows 8 was designed...**

**Next time: 'Unspoken Words'...**

* * *

**Also, I've recently posted my newest story, an Attack on Titan fic called 'Losing Control'. If there are any fans out then, please check it out :)**


	34. Chapter 34: Unspoken Words

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Turns out insane asylums are _great_ places for fanfiction writers to live.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The pirates arrive in Water 7 with a small fortune, looking to the Galley-La Company to build them a brand new ship. Things seem great.**_

_**They're not. **_

* * *

**Chapter 34: Unspoken Words**

* * *

"No, no, no!" Mr Rumble shouted irritably, sparks flying from his hands. "What hell is _that_?!"

Luffy glared at him angrily, glancing around the mindscape. "It's a pillar," Luffy muttered angrily. "You said you wanted a pillar, there's a pillar."

The pillar was completely circular, grey stone and bare, sitting in the middle of the 'mansion', such as it was. Mr Rumble had insisted he wanted a better place to live, but reshaping the mindscape had proved more difficult than either of them had expected. They were both quickly becoming very irritated at each other.

"Unholy fuck, where the hell is your sense of interior design?" Mr Rumble growled, storming around the mindscape. Right now, the mansion was just an empty stone courtyard. "Let's bring some fucking decor in to this, yeah? How about some _style_? The front door is over that way, we need the pathway across _here_, pillars left and right, and let's get some energy flowing through the building. It's feng shui and all that shit."

He motioned to the courtyard. Right now, it was made solely out of what looked like dull grey, poorly imagined stone. Mr Rumble turned tracing the different lines through the courtyard. Luffy just watched confusedly.

"Ok," Mr Rumble said with an annoyed sigh. "Energy map stuff across here, lines through _here_. all of the highlight-bits from the east, so it's all focus-ey in the centre. It's got to flow through here, defining the bagua. Different elements thingies across _here_, setting the space and angle, and I want to define that destructive cycle thing. Make it vibrant. Make it fucking tasteful. Sharp angles across here, set the boundary two thirds up, and emphasise the directions southeast, east, south and north. We'll handle the colour schemes later."

Luffy blinked dumbly. He really missed the time when he dreamt about random stuff when if he went to sleep. Now, it seemed like every time he closed his eyes he was dragged into this mindscape.

Mr Rumble had insisted on a mansion. Luffy found that, in this place, he could make objects appear by focusing them and imagining them intently. It was still his head; Luffy was the only person who could shape it. The first time he tried it, he came out with nothing but a weird gloop, much to Mr Rumble's fury. Now, he had just about got grey stone down.

With a casual flick, Mr Rumble launched a bolt of lightning that vaporised the stone pillar. It dematerialised into nothing. "Let's try this _again_," Mr Rumble growled. "Let's make a pillar."

Luffy ground his teeth together, twitching slightly. His tolerance was failing fast. "Do you really need all of this?"

Mr Rumble snorted, sitting down on his armchair. "Screw you. If you're going to be using my power, then I'm sure as hell going to be living comfortably while you do, and you're not going to be dreaming peacefully until I am."

The devil eyed Luffy curiously, straightening his collar as he smiled brightly. "Or what?" Mr Rumble asked with vicious cheerfulness. "Do you want our relationship to become slightly _less_ than civilised?"

Luffy stiffened. "I told you about those threats," he replied darkly.

"If you don't want the threats, then make me a fucking mansion."

The pirate slammed his foot down, folding his arms. "I've lost one Devil fruit before," Luffy replied coldly, eyes narrowing. "I could lose another one if I had to."

Mr Rumble paused. They stared at each other darkly for a moment. There was a tense moment, before finally Mr Rumble chuckled. "Alright then," he said brightly, holding his hands out graciously. "We'll keep it civilised. Make me a fucking mansion _please_."

_Of all the Devil fruits to eat_, Luffy thought furiously, glaring at Mr Rumble. Everything about him infuriated Luffy to no end, but they were trapped with each other. More and more, Luffy was thinking about what might happen if Mr Rumble got violent. Mr Rumble was probably having the same thoughts. The only reason why they hadn't tried to tear each other's throats out yet was because they were both tied together.

Luffy furrowed his brow and tried to concentrate, imagining a stone pillar. Mr Rumble released a spark of electricity, crackling in the air and forming an outline of where he wanted it to go. The moments passed in silence, with Luffy frowning as he tried to imagine the shapes. Mr Rumble had to trace out with electricity, brick by brick.

As far as Luffy could tell, the Devil never needed to sleep, or even eat. The mansion seemed completely pointless, except aesthetically. One by one, the pillars took shape, forming an immense, symmetrical pattern around the courtyard, like a huge mosaic of stone columns. _It was a nice design_, Luffy conceded, slightly reluctantly.

"What's next?" Luffy asked finally. The wide courtyard of pillars looked good, even if was all made from the same dull grey substance.

"We haven't even started on the second floor yet," Mr Rumble snorted.

Luffy frowned. The structure was already huge. "Second floor? How big do you want to be?"

He chuckled. "Dream a little bit bigger, yeah kid?" He muttered under his breath.

Luffy grunted and ignored the comment, flexing his arms and rubbing his tiredly. Thinking was hard work. He was sick of trying to imagine bricks and pillars. He glanced around the not quite empty mindscape. "Say…" Luffy said slowly. "What happened to Gum Gum's old stuff?"

The rubber bed, toys and playthings that had been left in the corner had vanished. Mr Rumble growled. "I threw that shit in the dungeon," he murmured. It was a sore point with him that his powers were incapable of destroying the rubber.

Luffy scratched his head. "There's a dungeon in this place?"

"There is now," Mr Rumble snapped, glaring at him. "What the hell are you slacking off for? Get building already!"

It took every bit of self-control Luffy had to bite back the angry retort. Still, he was trapped here when he was asleep and it wasn't like Luffy had anything better to do. Luffy was starting to learn more about Mr Rumble's temper; he was irritable, snappy and prone to sudden and violent outbursts, but he would also move on quickly.

On the other hand, the more time Luffy spent here, the stronger his lightning would become in the real world. As far as Luffy could tell, Mr Rumble was keeping his end of the bargain. The thought of waking up soon was enough for Luffy to return to the task, concentrating as Mr Rumble dictated building a large, spiral staircase, step by step.

Both of them seemed to relax slightly when Luffy didn't snap back. The minutes passed in slow, focused silence.

"…So…" Mr Rumble muttered finally, folding his arms. His tone of voice was, by his standards, almost conversational. "…How's it going up in the real world?"

"Fine," Luffy replied curtly.

"You've been having fun with those girls of yours, haven't you?"

Luffy paused. "You've been spying on me?"

"Meh, I get some of your daydreams." Mr Rumble shrugged. "Nothing specific, but I can feel emotions. I can tell when sparks are flying."

Things with Nami and Vivi had been great, actually. Their time at Water 7 had been great. The only one Luffy was worried about was Robin, who had been becoming more and more distant every day, and Luffy was growing more and more concerned. "Don't talk about them," Luffy warned.

Mr Rumble rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said with a sigh. "Let's talk about something else then. Say, when was the last time you killed someone?"

Luffy turned. "Excuse me?"

"This 'beautiful mansion'…" he said, with air quotes. "… was only half of our deal, remember? I specifically remember requesting a steady supply of burning bodies as well."

Luffy's fists clenched. "I'm not going to kill random people."

Mr Rumble just shrugged. "They don't have to be random."

"No." Luffy's voice was steel. "I will never kill for you."

"Then kill for yourself," Mr Rumble muttered. His voice was echoing slightly, like building thunder. "You're a _pirate_. There are literally millions of people out there who would happily see you dead, pick any one of them and torch them into cinders. I don't give a damn what you fight for, just make sure you do it violently. That's the _gift_ I'm offering."

Luffy never replied. Mr Rumble snorted. "You killed that captain, sure," he conceded, leaning backwards in his chair. "But death by drowning is a weak option. You should have vaporised his flesh off his bones. You never killed his crew, and they were just as bad. You never even killed those bastards that tried to rob you. _That's_ the bit I have a problem with."

Luffy's eyes narrowed. "You just enjoy killing people, don't you?"

The sparks flared around him. "It's about the _power_." Mr Rumble paused, thinking about it. "… but, also, yes. Yet it's mostly about the power thing. I've got a reputation of being the baddest, most dangerous bastard around. I'm the guy who keeps everyone lying face down in the mud because if they dare to stand up, I _will vaporise them_. I'm the guy that makes the storm dangerous. I bring the _thunder_."

There was a pause. "I _like_ my reputation," Mr Rumble continued coldly. "I've worked hard to earn that reputation. I don't like you trampling all over that reputation."

Luffy didn't reply. The silence stretched out. Mr Rumble stretched out on his chair, cat-like, and then slowly started to chuckle. The sound of his quiet laughter was more dangerous than any battle cry. He was smiling, but there was no humour in his face. His grin just displayed teeth.

"Now then…" Mr Rumble said brightly. "… I understand that I'm such a happy, friendly and charming person with such a bright and vibrant personality and that it's very easy to become so endeared by charms that, well, you might even begin to underestimate me sometimes. You _might_ even think I'm _joking_, on occasion."

He was scratching at the armrest of his chair absentmindedly. "And that's fine," he continued, his grin growing a little bit further. "After all, it's good to laugh, isn't it? _Laugh_."

Luffy didn't even twitch. "However…" Mr Rumble said slowly, still smiling. "… In the interest of devil-host relations, allow me to be perfectly, unmistakeably clear. I'm trying _really_ hard to get along well with you here, so how about we make a deal? The next person who attacks you, or challenges you, or wrongs you in anyway, I _expect_ you to turn them into a smoking pile of ash."

They stared at each for a long time. Neither of them blinked. Mr Rumble's eyes were pure, electric blue.

"…One way or another…" Mr Rumble said very slowly, the meaning dripping through every word. He stretched out every syllable carefully. "… I _will_ have my pound of charred flesh."

* * *

Luffy gasped as he woke up, dropping back into reality. He had to blink repeatedly as his body registered cool moonlight streaming down on his face, and soft fabric against his skin. There was a cold sweat sticking to his skin. It took him a few seconds to process his surroundings. He was big in the hotel room. It was still very early, before sunrise.

There was a light weight over his chest. Soft orange hair tickled against his lips. Next to him, Nami stirred tiredly, shifting her body against him.

"…What's wrong?" Nami murmured tiredly, her eyes still closed.

They were sharing a double bed, with Nami resting against him. She was wearing pink pyjamas, and he was topless. Absentmindedly, her hand was resting over the scar on his chest. They had gone to bed early last night, but they had stayed up late; cuddling and talking to each other.

Luffy gulped. For a second, he wasn't quite sure what he was going to say, but he nearly something. Instead, he bit his lip. He had never told anyone about Mr Rumble. He didn't want to lie, but he just didn't know how. He couldn't think of the words.

_It was just a dream_, Luffy thought determinedly. It was easier if he just treated everything that happened when was asleep as a dream. People didn't need to share their dreams – dreams weren't important.

"Nothing," Luffy replied softly, forcing a smile as he cuddled her a bit tighter. "…Nothing important."

* * *

"This is a mistake," Kaku muttered, glancing around the group. "We shouldn't be meeting like this."

The basement underneath Blueno's bar was quiet. For the last five years, they had all had a purpose. Kalifa was Iceburg's secretary, with unmatched access into all of the Galley-La's files. Lucci and Kaku were Iceburg's top foremen, having earned the trust and respect of the president as well as all of the men. Between the three of them, the CP9 agents established a secure position of power in Water 7. It was a position that they now intended on exploiting.

Blueno, the fourth member of the group, acted as their handler. Blueno purchased his tavern simply because then no one would raise an eyebrow at the three of them regularly visiting the bar. Barman talked to everyone, after all. Also, barman regularly had to import ale in, and nobody ever noticed if there were secret documents hidden in one of the bottles. The bar was a perfect point of contact. Blueno managed to gather intelligence from a position outside of Galley-La, and with his powers he could move about freely across the city.

_It had been an effective setup for the last five years_, Lucci conceded, sitting cross-legged in the corner, his pigeon on his shoulder. They had all been good spies.

"There's no problem," Blueno said, with a shrug. "Everyone is too distracted to notice what we're planning."

The heavy-set man paused, glancing at Lucci. "By the way, Lucci," Blueno commented, pulling a small, dark cedar box from his pocket. "That object you ordered from central arrived today."

Lucci took the box quietly. It was light, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. Lucci glanced at it curiously, before slipping it away. _It_ _was always good to have insurance_, Lucci decided.

Kaku frowned. "This is still too dangerous. Everything is too important and…" Kaku hesitated, glancing at Lucci. "…and Lucci has been compromised."

Lucci paused, slowly looking up from the floor to stare at Kaku, face completely impassive. Kaku hesitated slightly as Lucci raised an eyebrow. Compromised was not a word that had ever applied to Lucci.

"Nico Robin knows who you are," Kaku insisted. "She's knows that you're CP9 and she knows that you've been lying to everyone. She could ruin everything for us at any moment."

Kalifa nodded. "He's right," she said firmly. "Nico Robin is too important here. Iceburg still has her bounty pinned to his office wall. We should have taken her away quickly."

"That would have raised too many suspicions!" Blueno argued.

"It'll raise a lot more if she tells everyone that Lucci is a spy!" Kaku retorted.

"She won't," Lucci muttered slowly, sounding almost bored. He twiddled his fingers absentmindedly, watching his nails tap against the chair leg. "Robin won't say a thing."

Kaku's eyes narrowed. "And how can you be so sure?"

Lucci paused. His eyes drifted slowly to the stack of wanted posters lying on a nearby crate. Robin's was on the top of the pile. The more Lucci thought about it, the more he really, really disliked Robin's new picture. Her new picture showed her from a profile, standing with weary but determined eyes as she looked into the distance. It was a good picture; it made her look attractive, strong, and self-assured.

Still, her old picture had just been much more representative. That old photo showed a little girl, lost and helpless but still glaring at the world with hurt determination. Lucci had realised a long time ago that, no matter how she tried to hide it, Robin was and also would be that same lost little girl with that same pain in eyes.

The rest of CP9 were looking at him curiously. Lucci didn't really care enough to answer promptly. "Because I know her," Lucci replied simply. "I know the type of person she is."

Robin knew that Lucci was infiltrating Galley-La, and she must know that he was probably planning something horrible. Still, as far as she was concerned, it was just an awful coincidence that she happened to randomly meet her old boyfriend as he was working a job. Robin wouldn't tell anyone anything because she also knew that if she opened her mouth, she would drag her whole crew into a battle that they couldn't win. A battle that didn't need to concern them in them slightest.

So, instead, Robin would keep quiet, and slowly distance herself from her crew to try and protect them. Perhaps she hoped that they could get their ship, sail away from Water 7 and leave Lucci do his nefarious plan in peace. Or perhaps she hoped that, if Lucci did decide to come for her, she could negotiate a way of allowing the other pirates to go freely.

Either way, Robin would stay silent, try to distance herself from everyone, and handle the situation on her own. That was what Robin had always done, after all.

Kaku looked ready to argue. "As far as you are concerned," Lucci continued, standing up slowly. "Robin is not going to talk to anyone, and we can continue our plan regardless. She is not an issue, I guarantee it."

Robin would run or hide, but she would never fight. She was too terrified of him and the government to risk going against them like that. _Rightly so_, _too_, Lucci mused, _yet little girls would always demonise and exaggerate the bogeyman under their bed_.

"But–" Kaku started.

"If you excuse me," Lucci murmured distractedly, walking towards the exit. He was sick of the meeting already. "I have a job to do."

Without another word, Lucci crept out of basement, and into the cold night.

Nobody noticed the shadows slinking through the night, creeping quietly like pure darkness seeping through the alleyways. A man could be staring directly, unblinkingly, at the street, but still they would never be able to register the man walking slowly past them. Lucci was good at staying hidden when he wanted to be; he moved like a cat, casually strolling completely unseen through the shadows.

Water 7 never really slept. Even at this time of night, the city was always vibrant. There were Sea Trains arriving constantly, with people departing and arriving at all hours. The canals were always busy and, as he moved over towards the bars and tourist area, there was always a party or celebration happening.

Tonight, however, Lucci headed towards the upper district, passed the shipyards and towards the wealthy centre of the city. This place, the highest level where not even Aqua Laguna could touch, was reserved only for the extremely wealthy and powerful. Not even Iceburg had anything to do with this side town, though that was more a matter of preference rather than class. This area was filled with swanky mansions, expensive boutiques, banks and businesses. Every building was a mixture of extravagance and class, the kind that required a huge amount of money to maintain.

Although his expression didn't reveal it, Lucci looked on his surroundings with disdain. Lucci had never been one for this brand of pompous flamboyance and debauchery. He preferred a quieter, more refined, and _sharper_ way of life. It made his body stiffen as sharp eyes took in every corner of a world so alien to his own.

Still, he had orders.

Nonchalantly, Lucci leapt onto a nearby rooftop, landing with cat-like grace. He knelt down, hunched almost invisible on the tiles, and started to wait patiently. He stood completely motionless as the hours ticked by slowly.

Three hours later, just as the sun was hovering over the horizon, he saw his target strolling through the street. Lucci flexed, rolled his shoulders, cracked his knuckles, and then jumped on to the ground. The man never even noticed as Lucci fell into line behind him. He was completely oblivious as Lucci walked up from behind.

If Lucci had wanted to (and he did, slightly), he could have ripped out the man's throat and strolled away before the man's body would even hit the floor. Instead, the assassin had to do something much more distasteful; he had to _talk_.

"Excuse me, Mr Kyung?" Lucci drawled slowly, tapping him on the shoulder lightly. "May I have a word?"

Mr Kyung turned around quickly, staring at Lucci in shock. Lucci knew fine well that he had just been visiting his mistress and returning home after a long night. Kyung's expensive suit was greased. He had the faint after-mark of lipstick around his lips. He stunk of fancy champagne and cigars.

For a second, the businessman was left completely off-guard as he came face to face with the foreman. Lucci had planned this meeting carefully; he wanted to be the one in control of this conversation, while Mr Kyung was at an instant disadvantage.

"Ah… um, Lucci!" Kyung said quickly, wide-eyed, but recovering fast. He was mid-thirsty, clean-shaven, fairly tall. Ten years ago, he had probably been in good shape, but years of lavish living and wealth had resulted in a pot belly and slouched shoulders, visible even despite his tailored suit. "What… what are you doing here?"

Kyung had been a merchant that had moved into insurance, and then banking, before becoming incredibly wealthy and settling down in Water 7. He owned a large amount of shares in the Galley-La Company and was a major investor, but then again every wealthy man in Water 7 had some connection to the ship-building company. Galley-La and Water 7 were practically synonymous with each other, after all. Kyung had been a professional gambler that had become so rich he stopped making gambles. A coin-counter too used to numbers and figures, and embedded deep in high society and luxury. He just the type of man that Lucci could manipulate.

It had taken Lucci two full days to size and decide on his target. The CP9 agent was nothing if not disciplined when it came to his job. He had met Kyung before during official events, but it had always been fleeting, polite and distracted meetings. Investors and carpenters rarely had much to do with each other.

None of this showed on Lucci's face as he said casually, "I was hoping we could have a chat, actually." He feigned a look of discomfort. "…it's a… delicate matter… I could use your advice."

Kyung blinked. The conversation was clearly unexpected. "Oh… really?"

"I didn't get a chance to talk to you during the meeting the other day," Lucci said apologetically.

The meeting where Iceburg announced they would build the world's most expensive ship had been a busy one for a lot of people. "… Well, that's alright…" he muttered cautiously.

"I noticed that you were very upset with the president's decision," Lucci continued, hands carefully by his side.

Instinctively, Kyung back away slightly. "…Oh, well, um…" He clearly thought that Lucci was threatening him. "… A lot of people just thought that it might be unwise to act so thoughtlessly…"

"Yes," Lucci agreed with a nod. "Actually, quite a few shipwrights feel the same way."

Kyung paused. There was a moment of silence with the statement. "Really?" His voice dropped into a politician's measured tone. "I understood that Iceburg had the complete support of the shipwrights."

_It must be so vexing to be a banker in Water 7_, Lucci mused. Kyung and his sort might have the money, but it was the shipwrights that had the _power_. For a man like Kyung, that whole concept must be mind-boggling. He had spent years trying to buy enough stock for a controlling interest in the Galley-La Company, but he could never comprehend it that pieces of paper were meaningless to shipwrights who couldn't be bothered to read. His type could never understand that gold was just gold, and power was power. The two were only ever equivalent in the mind.

Lucci smiled softly. "…Well…" said with pre-prepared hesitance. "…You know Iceburg, of course, he's a great man–"

"–Of course –" Kyung said quickly.

"– but also very… ahem…"

"… Childish?" Kyung offered.

"…_Distracted_." Lucci smiled again. The street was deserted, and deathly quiet. "There are many who feel uncomfortable about the whole city working for pirates like this."

Kyung nodded quickly, trying to avoid being too eager but his eyes gleamed at the statement. It would have seemed almost treasonous if he had been the one to say that. Unspoken words seemed to float around the conversation.

"Of course, of course," Kyung said quickly, nodding repeatedly. He hesitated. "…When you say '_many'_…?"

"Iceburg has never really considered the consequences of his actions," Lucci continued, with a sigh. "A brilliant shipwright, but, well, I suppose he's like his mentor in that matter…"

There was a frozen pause. The reference to Tom was enough to gently steer the conversation. Kyung was left nodding dumbly as his mind spun. Lucci took the advantage.

"Is it really so surprising that the shipwrights themselves would be concerned with the future of the company?" Lucci mused. "No one loves this city as much as us."

"Nor I – I mean, I too, love this city," Kyung said quickly. "I tried my best at the time to dissuade him, but –"

Kyung had been one of the most vocal in his opposition against Iceburg. The president had replied by completely and utterly ignoring any complaints and carrying on regardless.

"I suppose that's the disadvantage of the president and the mayor being the same person," Lucci replied, making the statement as light as possible. "There is no one he will listen to who can… _caution_ his decisions. He is in complete control of the future of the city."

Kyung blinked again. "…Yes, I suppose…" he mumbled, eyes narrowing.

"That's the problem we're all having, isn't it, Mr Kyung?" Lucci continued conversationally. "Iceburg just won't listen to us. He will never listen to us. It really is so confounding. I mean, we only want what's best for the city, don't we?"

He muttered an affirmative. Lucci could see the gears working in his brain. For Mr Kyung, it was fairly simple maths; the gold was very good for the city, the pirates were very bad for the city. Kyung was part of the city. In his mind, Kyung had a large amount of money so he was a large part of the city. The equation was clear; the only question was how to solve it…

"That's where I could use your advice, actually," Lucci said politely. "I was hoping that you had some suggestions on how we could proceed."

"… well, it becomes very –" he mumbled.

Lucci smiled. "Maybe if we could all get together sometime, and discuss the problem properly?" Lucci suggested. "How about if we met and provided a unified front, we could come up with a solution that might convince Iceburg to see reason?" He paused, glancing at Kyung curiously. "You do know of others who might feel the same way as us, right?"

Kyung was quiet for a long time. He was an intelligent man, after all – it was just his intelligence only worked in one direction. "…I could maybe ask around…" Kyung said with slow non-commitment. "I'm sure we could maybe…"

"That's a _great_ idea," Lucci said brightly, as if Kyung had come up with the suggestion. "I was so worried wondering if I was the only one who felt this way."

Unspoken words. "Yes," Kyung said carefully. "I understand the feeling."

Lucci held out his hand politely. Kyung shook it. "It's been a pleasure talking to you, Mr Kyung."

"Likewise."

Lucci moved to walk away. He paused, as if just realising something. "Oh, one more thing," Lucci said, glancing around almost absentmindedly. He faked an innocent smile. "It'd probably be best if we kept this discrete. After all, I would hate for people to get the wrong idea about what we're doing here."

Kyung blinked. "Huh-huh…"

"After all, we only want what's best for this city, don't we?" Lucci said, his smile unwavering.

"Of course," Kyung said definitely.

Lucci walked away. Kyung stood perfectly still. By Lucci's reckoning, the man was blinking twice as fast as normal.

Lucci could see the train of thought already. Iceburg was in charge, but Lucci, one of his top foremen, was practically his deputy. The shipwrights might own the city, but the men would listen to a foreman. If a foreman had a problem with what Iceburg was doing, well, that was practically _official_, wasn't it? No one could fault a foreman for looking out for his men, and then it was practically Kyung's duty as a citizen to help.

And, if Kyung was really honest with himself, Iceburg had always been a fairly bad president and a worse mayor, hadn't he? Honestly, Iceburg himself would probably appreciate it if someone else were to take over all of that stuff. It would give Iceburg more time to hammer bits of woods together, or whatever.

So, maybe, Kyung would call a couple of his friends up for drinks. And maybe, between rounds, they would start talking about current affairs. And maybe someone would nod, they'd laugh, and start talking about a hypothetical situation. And maybe it would end there, or, maybe, they'd meet up again later in the week. Maybe with a bigger group of friends.

And, sooner or later, the unspoken words would twist and churn into something else.

Personally, Lucci found the whole method rather distasteful. He didn't enjoy this cloak and dagger, polite, rebel-rousing. If Lucci had his own way, he would just kill everyone and be done with it.

Firstly, he would kill Iceburg, after torturing him for the location of the Pluton blueprints, of course. Iceburg would probably be tough, but Lucci would always break them. The other foremen, Tilestone, Lulu and Paulie, would doubtlessly try and stop him, so Lucci would have to rip their throats out too. They had all been good friends to him for the last five years, but, honestly, the odds were that Lucci would feel slightly bored as he was slaughtering them.

After that, it'd be the pirates turn. Lucci would happily tear them down, one by one. He'd quite look forward to the challenge, actually. There might even be a bit of a thrill as he tore off Luffy's head with his teeth. Then, afterwards, he would drag Robin away over the dead bodies of her crew, and he'd take her to Enies Lobby. If she tried to run, he'd rip her legs off. On his way out, he'd probably burn Water 7 to a crisp.

He would almost certainly murder Kyung, just as a matter of principle.

Overall, Lucci was a fairly certain that he could end his five year mission in probably half a day of fire, blood, and enjoyment. It was a nice thing to think about. Occasionally, Lucci would daydream about what it might be like to finally just kill them all. He was constantly ready for that opportunity.

Still, Lucci had orders. Orders that told him to do otherwise.

And, if nothing else, Lucci was very, _very_ good at his job.

* * *

"Alright then, let's get started," Iceburg said with a sigh, dropping down into his chair. "I've got a couple of options for you."

The president's suit was worn and there were dark circles under his eyes, but otherwise he looked quite eager to get started. He had slept in forty-eight hours straight, but he had been having the more fun going through designs than he had had in years. Vivi sat opposite his desk, arms folded and attentive as Iceburg pulled out a large folder of detailed blueprints.

"There's still much to do," Iceburg admitted. "But we've got the groundwork sorted. We just need to confirm a few of the high-level decisions before we can start assembling the keel."

"Really?" Vivi asked curiously. "That was fast."

Iceburg shrugged. Kalifa quietly served drinks to both of them. "A lot of gold buys a lot of speed," Iceburg admitted. "It's amazing how fast shipwrights can work when they all come together. Still, this is only the skeleton structure. We've yet to get into the real meat of the project."

Vivi nodded, quite comfortable in Iceburg's office. In the last week, the princess had taken to acting as a sort of ambassador between the Galley-La Company, and Iceburg had given her almost daily updates.

"Now then, this ship, currently unnamed, will be the first _Class S_ vessel ever built," Iceburg said, the pride obvious in his voice. "We're keeping it relatively small – for the size of the project at least – but it will without a doubt be in a league of its own."

Iceburg picked up a large folder underneath the table and placed it on the desk. Iceburg and Vivi sat facing each other, while Kalifa was in the corner of the room, diligently taking notes.

"First matter; the wood," Iceburg explained rummaging around in the bag. "We've got a few different ideas; we just need your approval."

He placed six different wooden blocks, each the size of a brick, on the table in front of him. The wood samples varied from bright orange to dull grey, with different textures and grain structures. Vivi ran her finger over each one of them curiously.

"That's from the Treasure Tree Adam," Iceburg explained, pointing to a light green piece of wood at the side. "Incredibly rare, very flexible, immensely strong. We had a very hard time sourcing a supplier – this wood comes from only one tree in the world and is a national treasure, actually, but we did managed to find a supply. This wood has fairly remarkable properties; it's strong but not brittle, light and easily machined."

"Gol D. Roger had a ship made out of this wood," Vivi remarked, staring in awe. She remembered her history lessons.

Iceburg nodded, eyes glinting. "Yes. It is one of a kind," he admitted.

There was a pause. The idea of being able to use wood from the Treasure Tree Adam was thrilling. Throughout his apprenticeship, Iceburg had heard Tom brag about its quality, and now Iceburg actually had a chance to create a ship that would match the Oro Jackson.

Still, the challenge in front of him was perhaps the greatest opportunity he would ever. Iceburg never wanted to match the Oro Jackson; he wanted to exceed it.

"However," Iceburg continued, moving on to the other wood samples. He pointed to the next block; a piece of wood so dark it was nearly black, and rough. "There are other options. This wood, for instance, is called Ironbark – incredibly rare; it comes only from trees over two hundred years old, in a forest on the other side of the world. Ironbark has properties better than high-quality steel."

Vivi tapped the sample with her knuckles. It rung. A splinter sliced through her skin and she winced. "Very hard to machine," Iceburg admitted. "But the warriors of the forest that have been known to forge swords and shields out of this wood."

She nodded but didn't reply, listening attentively. "Next, we have a curiosity; it's called Mimic Wood." He pointed to a bright orange sample. "Very strange tree. The tree takes ten years to mature, but, when it does, its wood will change is structure to copy the material properties of the ground it is lying on. If a Mimic Tree is planted in normal soil it will result in very weak wood, but if a tree is grows up upon a stone surface, then…"

Vivi pushed the block lightly. It didn't budge. The wood felt as heavy and as tough as solid granite. "You get wood that is as tough as stone."

"Yes," Iceburg nodded with a grin. "There is a grove in the Grand Line that specialise in these trees. You tell them the type wood you want, they will grow a tree to provide it. You could produce stone wood, but, alternatively, you have _this_."

Gingerly, he held up a small amulet; a steel chain supporting a tiny, dark, dull green orb of metal in the centre. "This metal is worth more than its weight in diamonds," Iceburg admitted. "A lot more. I was very lucky to even find this amount. This is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest metal in the world. It is called _adamantium_. There are only two swords in the world made out of this metal, which represents very nearly the entirety of adamantium ever unearthed. Both of those swords are owned by the world's greatest swordsman."

"Wow," Vivi muttered, staring at the unassuming orb of metal. It was piece of metal too small for anything useful; like a wasted offshoot from a blacksmith's forge. "But it's tiny…"

Iceburg grinned. "I have here a piece of wood that can copy the properties of other objects and a piece of metal with the greatest properties ever discovered. Now, maybe there isn't much of this metal, but if it was place underneath a large Mimic Tree at the edge of maturity…"

"You could create wood with the properties of adamantium," Vivi finished, grinning as well.

"Or I could try to, at least. As far as I now, no one has ever attempted it before. It wouldn't be perfect, it might not even work, and it would be very expensive to try, so– "

"Go for it," Vivi said brightly. "Let's see how it comes out."

Iceburg nodded eagerly. He fully intended to try and put Tom's ship to shame. His mentor would never have it any other way.

They talked for the next hour, going through different options. Iceburg had put so much effort into every aspect it was vaguely awe-inspiring. He had designs concerning so many different types of rare wood. One of his samples was wood from the roots of the Sunlight Tree Eve; it had lost its natural brilliant illuminance after being cut, but it would still shine quite brightly in the presence of moisture. Iceburg wanted to make eternally illuminated corridors using it, so that the ship would be the first one ever to never require any candles.

Next, he presented a sample of Kuuigosu, a very weak, malleable type of wood that floated so well that calling it buoyant was an understatement. Kuuigosu was so hydrophobic that it would actually repel the water around it, and could be used to build ships so dense that they would otherwise never stay afloat. There was also a sample of 'Thousand-Year Wood', a type of wood so long-lasting that it could go centuries and never age a day.

Finally, he motioned to the last sample, a piece of wood from the Tree of Knowledge, perhaps the oldest known wood in existence. Iceburg was almost sheepish as explained that this wood was in extremely short supply, but he still wanted to implement it in the ship somehow.

By the end, Vivi realised that Iceburg was planning on using the most expensive materials in the world for their ship. She was starting to wonder if they actually had enough money to afford it.

Vivi was left staring at the sheets of detailed drawings, impressed. "Yes," she said dumbly, nodding with a growing smile. "That sounds brilliant."

"Alright, we'll start ordering the materials then," Iceburg said with a nod. "That means we're going to have to cash in the gold. We've already made the arrangements with the foundries; we can have the gold melted down, forged into bars and stamped by the end of the week."

Vivi nodded. There were a lot of people waiting impatiently for the gold; even the act of processing it would make many people very rich. Right now, there were just tonnes of precious metal lying in the most secure warehouse they had, right next to the Going Merry. Iceburg had always been completely upfront with her.

"Right," Vivi agreed. "We buy the materials, we get the gold monetised, and then we build the skeleton structure."

"I expect we'll have the keel ready next week," Iceburg explained, while gathering all of the samples and drawings and placing them back into folder. "There's normally a bit of a ceremony once we get the keel and ribs ready – a celebration to announce that the construction of the ship is now really underway."

He dropped the folder back by his desk. There was a number marked on the corner of the folder in bold letters, Vivi noticed. "What's that?" She asked curiously, pointing to the writing.

"Oh, working title," Iceburg explained simply. "As the ship is currently unnamed, that's what we're calling it pre-construction." He held up the folder clearly, showing label displaying '**SHIP 540**'. "This will be the five hundred and fortieth ship that Water 7 has ever constructed."

Vivi nodded, standing up and extending her hand. "Right," she said brightly. "Thank you so much for all your work."

There was a flash of amusement across his face. "I can honestly say it's been a pleasure." Iceburg shook her hand.

Vivi grinned. "Say," she asked, with a sudden flash of nervousness. "…About that _other_ thing we asked for…?"

Iceburg nodded. It had been an easy request. "Yes, I've arranged that as well," Iceburg said sympathetically. "I've spoken to the sisters at the Water 7 West Orphanage. They were actually looking for a ship to ferry the children around the city and on field trips. I offered her as a donation."

_Her_, Vivi thought sweetly. Iceburg instinctively referred to the Going Merry as a 'her'. "She's still badly damaged, of course," Vivi murmured reluctantly.

"We could patch her up pretty quickly," Iceburg promised. "A bit of reinforcement wouldn't be a problem. It wouldn't be a complete fix, but for short journeys and easy sailing, she would last." He paused. "And we'd have to remove the cannons for the kids, of course," he added.

Vivi nodded. An orphanage. The Going Merry would like that. They weren't able to take the Merry any further, but they had all been determined to leave her in good hands. With a bit of care, no rough waves and just easy canal sailing, the Going Merry could have long life ahead of her. She would enjoy an easy life taking care of dozens of lost children like she always did.

As far as Vivi knew, no one had seen or heard from Klara since she first appeared. Still, occasionally Vivi would walk in on Usopp, sitting in an empty room, apparently talking to the quiet ship.

"Thank you so much," Vivi said softly, a gentle smile on her lips.

Iceburg paused, returning the smile. It made a shipwright proud to see a ship cared for, even after it was no longer useful. "Of course." His eyes flickered. "I heard you were looking for a shipwright to join you on your journey. Tell me, have you had any success?"

Vivi giggled. "Too much success, I'm afraid," she admitted. "There have been volunteers queuing in front of our hotel room."

As soon as news travelled about the vacancy, there had been a lot of shipwrights that were very eager to join on-board. Most of them were young shipwrights. A fair few of them didn't even know anything about carpentry. Still, for better or for worse, Nami had put herself in charge of recruitment, and the navigator had proved ruthless in her interviews. As fast as the shipwrights were queuing up, they were being rejected even quicker.

That had been one element that Iceburg refused to help with. The president never stopped anyone from volunteering, but would never help them search either. He would never throw one of his Galley-La men away, not for any amount of money. Not that the pirates had ever expected him too.

Still, Iceburg nodded understandingly. He knew that all of the experienced shipwrights were fiercely loyal. "Well," Iceburg mused. "In a week's time, before the unveiling ceremony, I will be inviting thousands of professional shipwrights from all over the world to come to Water 7 to help build this ship. I suspect many of them will jump at the challenge. You may well find a recruit among one of them."

"I'll bear that in mind," Vivi promised, slowly heading towards the door. "Thank you again. If there's anything else we can do…"

Iceburg paused. "Well…" He muttered carefully. "…There is _one_ thing…"

Vivi waited, patiently, as Iceburg chose his words cautiously. "I would like to bring in some help for the design," Iceburg explained. "A… _special consultant_, if you will. Now, he's not the most… conventional of shipwrights, he has had some problems with the law, but I can assure you that there is known as qualified…"

He looked slightly sheepish. Vivi looked at him curiously. "…He's an old childhood friend…" Iceburg admitted eventually.

Vivi paused for a few seconds. "Ok," she said finally. "I trust your judgement. If you want to bring this consultant in, do it."

He nodded thankfully. They exchanged goodbyes, and Vivi worked away. It was only after the princess had left that Kalifa stood up and approached him curiously.

"'Special consultant', sir?" Kalifa asked. "I hadn't heard of any contractor working for us."

Iceburg bit his lip as he glanced at his secretary. A lot of his men would have small seizures when he told them just who he wanted them to work for. "It's personal," Iceburg admitted uncomfortably.

Kalifa's eyes narrowed but she walked away. Iceburg hesitated, but then pulled out a piece of paper and a quill and started to write a letter.

He addressed the letter to a name he hadn't used in a long time. He asking for trouble doing this, but he had no choice. He owed Cutty Flam that much, at least.

Nobody knew about his relationship to Franky, and Iceburg would have preferred to keep it that way. As it was, there would be a lot of people wondering just how the president knew the ship dismantler, but Iceburg couldn't see a way around it. They were building the world's greatest ship, and Franky deserved his chance a being a part of it.

Iceburg wanted to help his fellow apprentice fulfil his dream.

It took him nearly an hour to write one short letter. Even after it was done, he reread it a dozen times. After a moment of hesitation, Iceburg wrote 'Tom's Workers' at the bottom. Then, Iceburg leant back in his chair, and sighed deeply.

He called Kaku up half an hour later. The chief mechanic looked in curiously as Iceburg invited him.

"Kaku," Iceburg asked finally, sealing the letter into an envelope. "I was hoping you could do me a personal favour."

Kaku looked curious. "Of course, sir."

"Could you please deliver this letter to the Franky House for me?" Iceburg asked with a wince. Kaku was the calmest and most level-headed of all his workers. "Politely. Please don't cause any trouble over there. Tell Franky that this is a peace offering."

"Peace offering?" Kaku said confusedly. "Why do you want to make peace with the Franky Family. They've been nothing but trouble for–"

"Please, Kaku," Iceburg asked, his mouth tightening. "I'm sorry that I can't say more. Please could you deliver the letter? _Discretely_, please."

Kaku paused. There was barely a flicker across his face. Slowly, Kaku adjusted his cap as he pushed the letter into his pocket. "Alright," the mechanic said finally. Iceburg sighed in relief. "You can count on me. I can deliver it."

He never did.

* * *

Chopper scratched his fur awkwardly as he walked next to Sanji, down the twisting maze of canals and paths. The sun was slowly dripping over the horizon of stone buildings. Sanji seemed excited.

"This is going to be great!" Sanji giggled, nearly skipping along the pavement. "Have you seen all of the beautiful women in this city? And we're _VIPs_!"

Chopper still wasn't certain why he agreed to do this. Perhaps it was just boredom. Luffy was busy zapping all over the place, Vivi and Nami were managing the ship design and the recruitment, respectively, Usopp and Conis were acting as consultants on the new ship, Wiper was working on building a bigger canon, Aisa was working on bothering him as much as possible, Zoro and Tashigi were training and doing couples stuff and Robin… well, Chopper hadn't actually seen Robin around that much, to be honest.

In any case, it had been Sanji's and Chopper's job to resupply and shop around, which they had done quite quickly. Afterwards, he just hadn't been sure what to do.

Maybe Sanji noticed his nervousness. "Stick with me, Chopper," Sanji said proudly. "With me as your wingman… well… I am the undisputed king of picking up girls!"

Chopper frowned. "Really? But I thought Luffy was the–"

Sanji slammed his hand over Chopper's mouth. There was definitely a minor seizure on Sanji's face. He laughed hoarsely, while blinking repeatedly. "Haha. Let's not ruin the night with crazy talk, now."

Chopper scratched his head as Sanji lead them towards the pier. There were sounds of music and laughter in the distance. Chopper was in Heavy-point, lumbering slightly with every step as he had to resist the urge to scratch at his new suit, which felt too tight against his fur. Sanji had insisted on getting him dressed up, but it had taken five different tailors before they found one that could manage Chopper's weird body shape in human form. By the end, Chopper wore a constricting, black suit with a blue tie, and dark shoes that caused to wince as he put his foot down. Chopper had never felt so uncomfortable in his life, and he was sweating madly as they walked.

Sanji had tried to take away his pink hat, but that was where Chopper drew the line. Still, he felt absolutely ridiculous as he noticed everyone glancing at the hulking gorilla man with a blue nose stuffed into a suit.

"Ok, remember the rules," Sanji repeated, brushing down his hair carefully. "Follow my lead. Whatever you do, make sure stay in your human form at all times. Smile when you're talking to women. Compliment them three times every sentence. If in doubt, use poetry –"

"I don't know any poetry!" Chopper protested, panicking slightly.

Sanji didn't seem to hear him. "And remember; try not to look so… um…so…" The chef paused as he looked Chopper up and down a few times. He sighed. "Ah, never mind, I love a challenge. Come on, I'll find you a girl!"

Chopper squirmed slightly. When Sanji had offered to take him picking up girls, Chopper had eventually agreed. Sanji just seemed eager to have a 'wingman' (though Chopper was still wasn't sure where the flying came into it); while Chopper tried to himself that it was just medical curiosity in tagging along, but, well…

Sexually, Chopper was totally uninterested in humans. Yet still, he got lonely just like everything did. Chopper saw what Luffy had, and he started to think that maybe it would be nice just to have someone there like that. Chopper wanted companionship just like everyone else did, and his friends were great, but it was still different. Anyways, Chopper had finally decided he might as well give it a go.

He was regretting that decision more and more with every step.

Sanji lead him into a busy tavern, crowded with people. The barman, a tall man named Blueno, waved them in, and Sanji was grinning as he seemed to pick out every woman in the room all at once. Chopper nearly tripped over his feet walking up the stairs.

"Follow my lead!" Sanji cooed, darting straight for the largest group of women in the place. There was a chorus of excited giggles as a serenading Sanji burst among to them.

Chopper did try to follow his lead. He watched him like a biologist might observe the mating rituals of a weird and primitive species of monkey. At one point, he took out a notepad and tried to make a sketch.

Meanwhile, Sanji was laughing and giggling as the girls cooed around him, while he eagerly ordered round after round of drinks for the group of girls. There was lots of wooing and excited chatter.

Half an hour later, Sanji finally seemed to remember Chopper was there. "Well?" The chef asked happily, rushing over to him. "What do you think?"

Chopper's brow furrowed. He checked his notes curiously. "I think…" he muttered very slowly, frowning like a child trying to figure out the answer to an exam. "…I think those girls are just using you to buy them free drinks."

Sanji twitched. "No, no, no!" Sanji said firmly. "This is how it works! You show every woman you meet unending appreciation, and _then_ they reciprocate!"

"Oh," Chopper nodded, making a note in his pad. He frowned. "Wait, then why have all of those girls just left?"

Sanji blinked, and turned just to see the crowd of girls file out of the bar. With a cough, Blueno slowly passed the tab on to Sanji.

The chef paused, and then mumbled something as he glanced away awkwardly. He was already picking out the remaining females in the bar. "…I'm sure they're waiting for me outside…" he muttered, glancing at Chopper. "Anyways, let's focus on you. You're my wingman, after all!"

Quickly, Sanji dragged Chopper away. After a minute of instructions, made more difficult by the fact that Sanji insisting he couldn't use his notepad, Chopper hesitantly approached a young girl sitting by the bar. Chopper gulped as he approached, smiling unwaveringly as he waved, and proceeded to recite exactly what Sanji had told him.

He got halfway through the serenade before the girl become freaked out and left.

"…Ok," Sanji muttered, glancing unsurely at Chopper. The doctor looked confused. "Let's try that again. Just try to… you know… open your mouth more when you're talking. And _blink_ this time."

_There are a lot of rules to follow_, Chopper realised. By this stage he was sweating so madly there was a puddle on the floor. The next two attempts went just as badly as the first. By the fourth one, Chopper, growing desperate, attempted to use the traditional reindeer mating ritual; head-butting her head-on and locking their horns together.

It did not go well.

An hour later, after Sanji had just bribed a couple of very unamused watchmen, he turned back to Chopper. The chef seemed quite a bit less excited. "Ok," Sanji said finally. "Maybe we need to dial back our expectations a bit…"

After that, they went back into the bar. Sanji spent a while musing over a realistic target, before finally selecting an old woman wearing a conductor's uniform and heavy makeup, with a body shape vaguely similar to a duogong, currently downing a whole bottle of rum in a single gulp. Chopper approached nevertheless.

The old woman just laughed as he got within three feet. "Nagagagaga!" she chuckled happily, biting another bottle open. "I'm way out of your league, kid."

It was about another half an hour before they finally came across a better option. Sanji quickly picked up on a young woman with dark blue hair wearing a bright pink and skimpy jacket, currently working her way through a heavy bottle as she sobbed quietly into her glass.

"There you are!" Sanji said finally, motioning to the girl. "She's perfect!"

Chopper hesitated. The girl had miserable red eyes. "I don't know. She looks really upset…"

"Then go cheer her up!" Sanji insisted eagerly, pushing Chopper over. "Go on!"

Chopper squirmed awkwardly, but complied. He approached hesitantly, raising his hand. "Hey," he greeted to the girl.

There was no reply. She quietly poured another glass, staring at it sombrely. There were tears dripping off her nose into the bottle. She had a long, pointy nose. After standing awkwardly still for a while, Chopper finally took the barstool next to her, forcing a grin.

"My name's Chopper!" He said, trying to be cheerful. There had been nothing in Sanji's instructions concerning crying. "What's yours?"

There was a pause. "Porche," the girl muttered finally, drinking another glass.

"Hi Porche!" Chopper managed. "What's wrong? You look upset."

She stifled a sob. There was a pause, but then Porche broke down into tears. Chopper panicked. "… He killed him!" Porche wailed, stammering through the sobs. "He killed my captain! He ripped him into… in…!"

Chopper's eyes widened in dread while his mouth opened and closed helplessly. Without warning, Porche turned and hugged him tightly, weeping into his shoulder. Her grip was so tight that Chopper could barely breathe.

Meanwhile, across the bar, Sanji watched intently. From this distance, Chopper's suffocated gasps could be mistaken for some sort of romantic noise. "I did it," Sanji muttered incredulously, throwing his arms up in triumph. "I did it! I got him together with someone!"

The chef watched as Chopper continued to be strangled by the crying girl. Chopper tried to raise his hand, begging Sanji desperately for help, but Sanji just gave him a thumbs up before walking away to give them some privacy.

Sanji was feeling elated as he settled down at the bar to get a drink. Perhaps this night wouldn't be such a waste after all, he thought hopefully, just as two shadows came up from behind. Two square shadows, Sanji noticed.

"Hey, I know you!" A sweet, soft and, most importantly, _feminine_ voice called from behind. "You're one of those pirates, aren't you?"

"_Wow!_" It was another, identical voice. "That's so amazing! Can we get your autograph?"

Sanji turned. His face broke into massive grin as he looked up at two identical faces. _Twins!_ He realised gleefully, feeling his heart pound as his mind went blank.

Somehow, Sanji managed to keep things cool. Well, he giggled and drooled slightly, but he kept things relatively cool. "Well hello ladies…!" He said brightly. He covered his eyes dramatically. "… I'm sorry, but the sight of two suns of pure loveliness is blinding me with beauty!"

The girls giggled in union. They were both young, attractive, with slender bodies and tight clothes. They both had wild, black hair shaped into huge squares and very long noses, but they were still beautiful as they giggled coyly. One wore a bright pink cropped top, pink bikini-bottom, with long gloves and a pearl necklace, while the other wore a white fur collar, yellow goggles, and a yellow bikini-top with slacks.

"Hey…" One of the girls muttered, stretching out the syllable, hand stroking her chin. "I'm Mozu and this is Kiwi."

"The name is Sanji, fearless chef of the sea," the chef introduced happily. "Oh, beautiful flowers, please, let me buy you both drinks."

They laughed as they sat down next to him, one on either side. Both of them inched their barstools slightly closer towards him. Sanji had to pinch himself just to check it wasn't a dream. He was blushing madly. As they ordered drinks, both of the girls were leaning over the table towards him.

"So, you're a pirate then?" Kiwi asked quietly, moving a bit closer. "Tell me a bit about that?"

"Pirates are so _hot_," Mozu muttered sultry, not quite under her breath, as she slowly folded her arms to emphasise her breasts.

With a discreet kick, Kiwi cautiously warned Mozu not to come on too strong. Sanji didn't seem to notice as he was left blushing and tittering madly.

"Oh, the life of pirate is nothing but toil and struggle," Sanji sighed, looking between Mozu and Kiwi happily. "Please, gorgeous angels, I want to know all about you two."

They giggled and both inched in a little closer. Both of them were resting their hands on Sanji's shoulder. Drinks arrived and Sanji made a toast to 'New experiences', and they all drunk. Half an hour later and the drinks never stopped, though Sanji didn't seem realise that although Mozu and Kiwi often moved their glasses to their mouths, they didn't seem to ever require a refill.

"So…" Mozu muttered finally, leaning in a bit closer. "You're part of the crew that brought in all of that gold, right? Tell us about that?"

"Oh, my precious," Sanji cooed brightly, hand over his heart. His words were slurring slightly now. "The only gold that matters is the gold inside my _heart_. Come! More drinks."

They giggled, leaning in closer. They were both beginning to get a bit more handsy. Sanji's head was spinning in blissful delight as he felt their fingers tickle slowly across his shoulders.

Another thirty minutes later, Kiwi tried again. Sanji was having trouble sitting up straight after the constant rounds of shots. "So this gold…" She muttered into his ear. "…Tell me, is it kept in a warehouse or something?"

Sanji gulped. "Ah, the only warehouse that matters is the warehouse where I keep all of my love!" He proclaimed happily. "The warehouse of my soul! You two are the ones that are important tonight! _Both_ of you! So, _so_ important!"

Mozu and Kiwi shared a glance, before moving a bit further. They dragged a dazed Sanji to the back of the bar, while Mozu teasingly unfastened his shirt, one button at a time. Kiwi rested her head on his shoulder, her soft hair brushing against his cheek, before moving to kiss up his neck with short pecks, and nibbling on his earlobe affectionately. Her nose tickled his skin. Mozu's hands roamed across his chest, and Sanji's was left lying down on his back as the two girls roamed over him. His hands stretched upwards, struggling to feel four breasts at the same time.

Fifteen minutes of light fondling and playful kissing later, Sanji was left so drunk from alcohol and bliss that he could barely even see straight. He was seeing double, which met that it looked like there were four beautiful girls on top of him.

"That _gold_ you were talking about before," Mozu said eventually, breaking away with a playful gaze in her eyes. "… Do you have a _key_ or anything to get to it?"

Sanji blinked. "The key…" he muttered, struggling to focus. "… the key…?"

"Yes…?" Mozu asked eagerly.

He turned towards her, wrapping his arms around her. "The key to my heart!" He proclaimed loudly. "… is right _here_!"

Sanji bounded his chest weakly as he lifted himself up as he kissed her sloppily, missing her lips and ending up on her cheek. Mozu kept her face wooden by great force of will. Meanwhile, Kiwi groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Excuse us a moment," Kiwi said sweetly, before grabbing her sister and dragging her away. Sanji slumped down limply, in drunken bliss while the two sisters argued sharply. He was too drunk to stand up. He could barely focus on the words through the drunken haze.

"… he's too drunk…!"

"… he's too stupid, that's the problem…!"

"… well, what are we supposed to…"

"…we've got to get it somehow…"

"… hold on, I've got a plan."

The sisters returned, high-heels tapping against the floor. Sanji grinned like a buffoon as they sat down next to them.

Kiwi slowly bent down to kiss his neck teasingly, hands roaming down chest. "Do you know what would be so _hot_…?" she whispered into his ear. "I have _always_ wanted to make love with a man on top of a giant block of gold."

Sanji's mouth dropped open. Kiwi motioned to Mozu urgently. Mozu stared at her sister incredulously, before sighing. "I _too_," Mozu said reluctantly. ".. have always dreamt about making love on top of a giant block of gold."

"…Maybe we could even make love to _each other_ on a giant block of gold…" Kiwi whispered softly.

Sanji was off the ground in less than a second. "_This way!_" He bellowed, grabbing Mozu and Kiwi by the arm and dragging them out of the bar. "_I've got a giant block of gold! This way!_"

Both the sisters couldn't help but face-palm as Sanji rushed out of the bar, skipping off into the night.

* * *

Even drunk, Sanji made record time to the warehouse were the Going Merry and all their belongings were being kept. The pirates were the only ones allowed access inside, and Sanji eagerly opened the door for the two sisters as they crept inside, past the guards.

Sanji was giggling madly as he walked. _So, sure, maybe in some weird, nightmarish reality Luffy has three girls_, Sanji thought drunkenly. _But I have two _twins_! That means I still beat him! Twins count for bonus points – that's just logic._

He was a grinning like a fool and he stormed his way into the warehouse. The block of gold sat in the middle of the huge, empty building and Sanji stared at it with a joy he never felt before. "Well!" Sanji announced. "Here it is–"

The dull thud sent him toppling weakly to the ground. Mozu sighed as she dropped the metal pipe on to the ground, while Kiwi proceeded to fasten him up. The drunk chef was already out like a light.

"I swear," Mozu muttered. "We deserve a bonus for dealing with him."

A few minutes later and the sisters had opened the back door and cut through the razor wire. There was a sound of hushed grunted and murmurs as the men slowly rumbled into the building. The Franky Family tried to keep quiet, but they couldn't stop the hushed giggles as they walked upon the towering block of gold.

Franky was at the front of the group, smoothing his blue hair while he stared with pure glee. He was wearing an open red shirt and a pair of briefs, revealing muscles as chiselled as steel in the faint light. The cyborg grinned, eyes bulging.

The Square Sisters smirked proudly. "Mozu, Kiwi," Franky said finally. "You're both brilliant."

They grinned. The whole group had to stop themselves from laughing. Franky had to resist the urge to celebrate. Still, they weren't away yet. They had until morning to get the gold out of here.

The ship dismantlers stared at the giant block of precious metal intently. For any other group, transporting a block of metal that big and heavy would be a challenge, but they had come prepared.

"Get the torches out," Franky ordered after a few second. "We're going to have to cut through it and take it piece by piece."

"On it, boss!" Zambai said happily, as the ship dismantlers got to work with practiced efficiency. Within minutes, they set up scaffolding around the block, pulling out gas-powered torches and metal saws to cut through the gold, as well as rags to muffle the noise. By the end of the night, they could have the gold cut into smaller blocks and out of the city. After that, they'd melt it down and sell it off on the black market before anyone even knew what happened.

A flash of guilt hit Franky with the thought. He knew that Iceburg was relying on this money to build the floating city, and the last thing that Franky wanted was to see Water 7 in ruins. Still, Franky had priorities of his own.

For the last few months, Franky had been growing more and more desperate for cash. There was a shipload of Adam's Wood available on the black market, which might disappear at any time. Franky had his dream – he needed that Adam's Wood if he ever wanted to make his ship, and that meant he needed lots of money very fast. There was no telling when, if ever, he would get an opportunity like this again. The gold was important to him too.

_I will leave half_, Franky decided. Half the gold was still more than enough to build his ship, and it meant that Iceburg would still have the money to kick his project. Half is better than none – everyone wins.

_Well maybe 'everyone wins' is a bit of an overstatement_, Franky admitted silently. _More like… a more even redistribution of wealth. I'm a criminal, they're pirates; it's all fair play, right?_

"How long will it take, do you reckon?" Mozu asked curiously glancing around the empty warehouse. The torches were lit with a dull hiss.

Franky shrugged. "A couple of hours, maybe," he admitted. There was no time to get distracted. "I want you and Kiwi to go keep watch – if anyone comes close I need to know straight away."

They nodded and rushed off. Franky paused, glancing around the warehouse. Sanji was still out like a light, but Franky ordered two of his men to grab the unconscious chef and go dump him somewhere far, far from here, just in case. The pirates were at the hotel, the Galley-La men were asleep, and the night watchmen wouldn't check inside of the building. If anything went well, then they could be in and out before anyone knew.

Of course, the mistake he made, the mistake they all made, is that no one searched the warehouse itself properly. No one noticed the figure snoozing inside the Going Merry until it was far, far too late.

* * *

_Meanwhile_…

_Eight thousand, four hundred and sixty-one. Eight thousand, four hundred and sixty-two. Eight thousand, four hundred and sixty-three_.

The meeting had been going on for a long time. Lucci counted the seconds down silently under his breath. Not that it really made any difference – he was just curious about how long it would take.

The meeting room was silent as the men stewed silently. The large, room was crowded with men in fancy suits. They were all rich men; there were bankers, merchants, politicians, investors, as well as minor nobility and socialites – a great many of the upper tier of Water 7. Lucci stayed quiet, slowly counting, as he watched all the unspoken words no one dared say ripple across the table.

The coup was now in full swing. Lucci just wanted to know how long the meeting would last before someone finally said the words.

"It's for the best anyways," a man muttered slowly, breaking the silence. _Eight thousand, four hundred and ninety_. "Iceburg was never qualified to lead this city."

Next to Lucci, Kaku sat cross-legged on a stool in the corner. Neither of the shipwrights said a word. They had to be present, though; if two of Iceburg's top foremen supported this, well, that made things different. If two of Iceburg's closest friends and lieutenants thought that Iceburg was wrong, then that practically demanded that they did something. Lucci's and Kaku's presence made the whole thing possible.

At the head of the table, Kyung nodded in agreement. "Iceburg was always just a criminal's apprentice. It's shameful we've allowed him to pollute this city for so long."

There were faint murmurs of agreement. _Eight thousand, five hundred and ten._ "There are _pirates_ strolling around the city like they own the place," a man muttered, his nose wrinkling in disgust. An aristocrat. "Something must be done."

Standing next to Kyung, Corgi nodded firmly in agreement, unable to hide that stupid smile on his face. Corgi was a middle aged man, with a stocky build with blond hair, wearing a suit and a sneering grin that somehow managed to represent everything that Lucci hated about his commanders. Corgi worked for the Cipher Pol, and he was the only other man in the room that knew about the spies.

"I completely agree!" Corgi said determinedly. "It must be stopped! I have been petitioning the mayor for months trying to get Water 7 to fall in line with the government, yet instead–"

Slowly, Lucci coughed quietly. Corgi paused, met Lucci's gaze, and then went silent. As far as Lucci was concerned, Corgi was the only man who could still ruin this for them. If Corgi had had his way, then he would have a given speech about how much the World Government could protect them, about how bad pirates were, blah blah blah.

Instead, Lucci had insisted that Corgi remained quiet throughout the meeting, only answering what was directed at him. It was part of the process. All of the men in the room had to stew on it for a while and reach the decision themselves; otherwise they would feel like they had been forced. _They_ had to be the ones to say those words.

It had been a good five years, Lucci thought quietly. The mission had lasted much longer than it had supposed to. Although the original goal had always been to acquire the Pluton blueprints, that objective had been delayed simply because of how profitable it had become.

Water 7 was _important_. It had huge strategic value, immense shipbuilding capability and it was hub for pirates and marines alike. In the war against piracy, Water 7 was a territory that neither side could afford to lose.

When Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa and Blueno went undercover, they had acquired a position that allowed them to feed intelligence on every pirate that passed by. Not just on pirates, but also on private companies, black market brokers, and rogue nations. They all passed through Water 7, they all relied on Water 7 for business. Iceburg would never have revealed that information willingly, but the CP9 agents did. It was information that proved invaluable, and so the mission was delayed, seemingly indefinitely, for five long years simply because the continual benefits exceeded the final objective.

CP9 was well and truly entrenched in Water 7. Iceburg had refused to allow the World Government to take control of Water 7, but, the truth was, it already had. Between Lucci, Kaku and Kalifa secretly but surely taking control and reporting back on everything that the Galley-La Company did, the World Government had begun to treat the city as one of the most invaluable assets they had.

Now, it was just a matter of making that official.

The rich men were still talking, slowly hovering around the destination that Lucci knew they were heading toward. Most of them probably wanted to say the words, they were just too scared to be the one to do it.

"The pirates have been a nuisance, and the Government has always been our friends," a merchant argued. _Eight thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight._ "We do quite well from the Government contracts, don't we?"

Corgi glanced fleetingly at Lucci before answering. "Of course," he said with a broad grin. He knew where the conversation was heading too, but Corgi just didn't have the intelligence to keep the grin off his face about it. "Though you would do better if you kicked the pirates out altogether. There are _always_ more ships that the marines need building."

There was a pause. A man bit his lip nervously. "We should send a strongly-worded letter to Iceburg asking him to reconsider his stance," he suggested.

"We should send a letter demanded him to resign," someone else retorted, to a mumble of agreements.

"It won't do any good," Kyung said coldly. "You know what Iceburg does with all of letters, don't you?"

There was a pause. A couple of nervous glances and Lucci and Kaku. The silence stretched out.

"These shipwrights…" An aristocrat muttered slowly, trying very hard not to look at Lucci. "They are very violent chaps, aren't they?"

Despite himself, Lucci smirked. He was twiddling his fingers absentmindedly. "Oh _yes_," Lucci agreed. "Extraordinarily so."

The statement was met with tense silence. _Eight thousand, seven hundred and twenty-one._ "If we agree that Iceburg is a problem for this city," Kyung said carefully. "…Then how do we convince him to stand down?"

There were so some more nervous glances at Lucci, although Corgi was receiving his fair share of glances too. "The Galley-La Company is the only thing that makes Water 7 profitable," a merchant warned. "We can't risk losing it."

"Could the World Government seize the company legally?" Someone else asked, staring at Corgi.

Corgi hesitated, and then shook his head. "No, it is a private company." Water 7 was far too valuable to jeopardise like that. It would be a scandal if the government interfered so directly. The government needed Water 7 on-board, but it had to come willingly. "This is an internal matter."

The statement was digested slowly. "Iceburg has an army of angry carpenters surrounding him," a man said darkly, from the back. "He will not step down willingly, or easily."

"And he treats us like trash," a banker muttered coldly. "How many meetings has he brushed off just because he was 'bored'?"

"He is just like a _thug_, isn't here?" An aristocrat grumbled. "He's just some trash mob thug that's taken over the city and the companies yet somehow convinced the public he's a saviour."

"He's pretty a pirate himself," another agreed. "No wonder he's so chummy with all those pirates."

A hesitant silence. Corgi glanced around carefully. "The World Government…" he said slowly. _Eight thousand, eight hundred and fifty-six._ "… has always had a very _fixed_ approach to dealing with piracy."

Nobody spoke. Everyone was silent. They were all staring at their hands determinedly. _Go on_, Lucci thought to himself. _Do the maths. Say the words_.

"If Iceburg _did_ disappear," Kyung said, his voice measured. "Then we could seize the pirates' assets. We could redistribute the wealth as is fair. We could run the company, the _city_, as we see fit. We are the stock owners, after all."

"It wouldn't be stealing," a banker agreed. "Iceburg stole from _us_. The company legally belongs to _us_. How can it be stealing if we're taking back what's already ours?"

"And what about Iceburg?" A merchant argued. "All of the shipwrights will stand with him, won't they?"

There were more glances towards Lucci and Kaku. _Eight thousand, nine hundred and six._ Lucci spoke up slowly. "Not as many as you might think," he said simply. The statement sent waves of reassurance through the crowd. If the _chief foremen_ were standing with them…

They were getting bolder. "Imagine how much better Water 7 will be without Iceburg," a merchant muttered. "We could be churning out Navy ships daily, forget all that pirate crap. More productivity, less disruption, better _profit_."

"And what about Iceburg?" Another aristocrat insisted. "What do we do about him?"

"Whatever you want," Corgi replied, his grin growing even further. "As far as the government is concerned, you'd be completely justified no matter what you do."

Lucci stared down at his fingers. Truth be told, Lucci did quite like Iceburg. The president was a good man, he had always treated Lucci pleasantly. Lucci had even enjoyed himself working for Iceburg. He probably didn't deserve this.

Still, orders were orders. Like or dislike had nothing to do with what had to be done.

They were about to say the words. _Eight thousand, nine hundred and eighty-seven_. _Eight thousand, nine hundred and eighty-eight_. _Eight thousand, nine hundred and eighty-nine. _

Kyung cleared his throat. "Well, then," he said slowly. "There's only one way we can ensure Iceburg doesn't plague this city any longer."

He hesitated, glancing around. _They were all, after all, just a bunch of coin-counters with inflated self-worth_, Lucci mused. Saying something so dirty must be a sting to their bloated egos.

"We kill him."

_Nine thousand_.

_Bingo._

* * *

**_..._**

* * *

**Side Story:**

**The Peril of the Water 7 Customer Design Team**

* * *

_Two days after _that_ night_…

Ayumu sighed as he staggered into his office, slamming the door shut. The smell of booze still lingered around the room, everything was messy, and one of the two large windows had been patched up with a bit of wood. Arata was already there, hunched over a new desk, painstakingly drawing a detailed engineering sketch.

"Huh, you bought a new drawing desk," Ayumu commented.

"Yep," Arata said proudly, knocking on the desk with his knuckles. "Solid oak."

"Nice," Ayumu agreed, sitting down in his seat, and peering over Arata's shoulder. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, it's just a corvette. Three mast, central rib," Arata explained, moving out of the way to reveal a painstakingly detailed engineering sketch.

"Huh, it looks pretty solid," Ayumu complimented.

"That's right; solid, reliable designs," he said proudly. "Tried and tested. _That's_ what shipbuilding is about."

With a sigh, Arata stood up and went to make a cup of coffee. "So…" he said finally. "I was thinking about this problem we have. Maybe it's not so bad."

It had taken them days to recover from that customer specification. Ayumu frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Arata muttered. "… All we're really contracted to do is specify the requirements, right? So how about if we take the 'specification' that we've got, we can just cross out all of things that are physically impossible, ignore whatever is too illegible to read, and then maybe scale it back a bit until–"

Ayumu blinked. "We can't," he said suddenly. "I've already submitted it."

Arata stopped. "You did _what_?" He gulped. "Just _what_ exactly did you submit?"

"The customer specification. The one we took other night." Ayumu explained sheepishly. Arata's mouth dropped open. "Well, I had to submit _something_! There was a deadline."

"You really submitted _that_?" Arata gulped. "Are you seriously telling me that Water 7 is now _contractually obligated_ to provide a flying ship with a freaking dinosaur theme park on-board?"

"I had to submit something!" Ayumu repeated. "There was a deadline!"

"But… but… but…" Arata stammered. "It was totally, physically impossible!"

"But there was a deadline!"

"We were _drunk_ when writing it!"

"_There was a deadline!_"

"Oh my god." Arata's face was pale. "What are we going to do? I can't even remember half of what we put on that specification."

"I think I repressed most of it," Ayumu admitted, shifting slightly in his chair.

"But what about when Iceburg reads it?" Arata said with dread. "He's going to read _everything_. We… we… we can't…"

Arata was nearly hyperventilating with panic. "Coffee," he muttered frantically. "I need coffee. Right now. _Coffee_."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. They both froze as an attractive woman paused in the doorway. "Ayumu, Arata," Kalifa said in sharp greeting. "Iceburg has just received your specification. He's on his way down right now."

Arata made a sound vaguely similar to a mouse being strangled. Ayumu gulped. "Oh, and by the way," Kalifa added warningly. "Iceburg hasn't slept very much since the start of the project. He's become a little… _erratic_…"

With that, she left. Ayumu and Arata paused, turned to stare at each other, screamed, and then tried to run for it. They didn't even make it out the door before Iceburg barged through, clutching a large handful of dishevelled papers wildly.

"Did you two really just submit _this_ specification?!" Iceburg demanded, wild-eyed as he shook the papers.

Wordless, Arata tried to hide behind Ayumu. Ayumu gagged, but managed a weak nod.

Iceburg flicked through all of the papers wildly. At least half of them had a drawing of a three-eyed monster on them.

"This… this…" Iceburg gasped, struggling to take it all in. "…_This is_…!"

They winced and closed their eyes.

"…_This is the greatest specification I have ever read!_"

Ayumu sagged weakly. Arata gasped. "Wait, _what?_"

Suddenly, Iceburg was laughing. He rushed forward to shake a stunned Ayumu's hand. "This is _brilliant!_" Iceburg said loudly. "It's _magnificent!_ I've never seen anything like it!"

Ayumu's eyes bulged. "You… you _liked_ it?"

"Of course!" Iceburg said happily. "This is _inspired!_"

"Um…" Arata muttered disbelievingly. "… You did read all the way through, right?"

"Why yes!"

"Including the cotton candy room?" Arata insisted.

"Magnificent, never done before but I'm eager to see if it could be!" He said brightly. "And the chocolate milk fountain, revolutionary! The laser guns, extraordinary! The kettle breeding area, mind-boggling! And the roast chicken cannon! Oh, the _roast chicken cannon_!"

He paused, turning back towards the door. "Kalifa!" he shouted. "I want you to place a patent on the roast chicken cannon! I want a penny every time someone even thinks of it!"

"Sir, that is not how patents work–"

"Get going!" He ordered before turning back to design team. They were starting to look a bit less terrified now. "Oh, I must admit, I had completely misjudged you two," Iceburg admitted. "I am _so_ sorry, I've done you a great disservice."

"Sir?" Ayumu asked confusedly.

"I am surrounded by shipwrights that can only think of 'solid' and 'reliable' designs," Iceburg muttered, rolling his eyes and motioning passionately. "No vision! No innovation! But you two! You two have the courage to push the boundaries of what is possible! I want to see how far those boundaries can go, and, clearly, so do you!"

Ayumu and Arata paused as they turned to stare at each other. After a moment, they turned back to Iceburg with broad grins splattered over their faces.

"That's what I always say, sir!" Arata said proudly, while discretely pouring his cup of coffee over the drawings on his desk. "Vision and innovation! That's what we're all about!"

"Yes!" Iceburg announced happily. "I want absolutely _everything_ in this specification in the final design. Everything and more!"

"Hell yes!" Ayumu shouted happily.

Iceburg laughed. They were all laughing. "For your great work, you deserve a promotion!" Iceburg announced.

Arata's chest swelled proudly. "Why, thank you very much sir!"

The president patted them both of the back. "From now on!" he said happily. "I'm promoting you both to joint departmental heads!"

"Wow, thank you!" Ayumu gushed.

"That's right," Iceburg said cheerfully. "I want you both to be in charge of the complete initial design and prototyping of this ship!"

It took a few seconds for the laughter stop. Arata hesitated. "Wait, when you say 'in charge'…?"

"I mean that you are now both _completely responsible_ for designing this ship!" Iceburg said brightly, still patting them on the back. "Congratulations, gentlemen, this entire billion Beli project now rests upon _your_ shoulders!"

Arata's face froze. Ayumu looked completely motionless. Iceburg was the only one still laughing. "This has been an absolute pleasure," Iceburg said earnestly, his whole body tingling with excitement. He held out his hands. "Now, don't worry, I'm not going to take up much of your time. After all, there's so much to do."

He sighed, glancing at the specification in his hand. "Well," he commented, placing the papers on Ayumu's desk. "I suppose I better leave this here. Now then, I need an update by the end of the day, of course."

Neither of them reacted. They both had looks of mild confusion on their faces, as if their brain had just been shut down and was awaiting restart. It took a while for them to process anything.

"…Wait…" Arata muttered slowly. "…When you say 'completely responsible'…?"

Iceburg never seemed to hear him. He was already strolling away, whistling happily to himself. "_Ah!_" He exclaimed loudly to the whole office. "_I have such high expectations for this whole project!_"

Kalifa shut the door behind him, leaving the two engineers standing motionlessly in their office. Wordlessly, they both slumped into their chairs.

The silence stretched out for a very long time. Slowly, they both turned to stare at the pile of papers that was their specification. The words 'completely responsible' seemed to echo in the room.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

"So…" Ayumu said finally. "…Solid oak, you say?"

Arata nodded silently, head slumped in his hands. There was another pause.

"Say…" Ayumu asked, standing up. "…Can I borrow your drawing desk for a moment?"

Arata sighed. "Go for it."

With a deep breath, Ayumu walked towards the drawing desk, picked it up, and headed towards the remaining window…

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Firstly, sorry everyone. A couple of weeks ago I accidentally updated this story when I meant to update another one. I deleted the chapter a second later, but the alert email still went out. My mistake, but here's the real chapter 34.**

**I've got to admit, this chapter was an absolutely nightmare to write. It took me ages, but I do think I needed it.**

**Anyone who thinks that there wasn't much action in here, well, just wait for the next one... :)**

**Next time: 'Operation Franky'...**


	35. Chapter 35: Operation Franky

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: You don't want to know what happens when the meds run out.**

* * *

**Also, fair warning; even by my standards, this chapter gets a bit dark...**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**The Franky Family broke into Dock One's warehouse, looking to steal the pirate's gold...**_

* * *

**Chapter 35: Operation Franky**

* * *

"Move it!" Franky shouted loudly. "Come on, let's get moving!"

"Aye!" The Franky Family shouted as one, grunting as they hoisted the straps around the gold, levering the giant block of metal a metre off the ground. The warehouse had rapidly turned into pure pandemonium.

"Super!" Franky cheered, slamming his hands together and cracking his knuckles. His palms collided with a distinct ring of metal. "We are Franky Family Super Dismantlers! Let's take this gold down!"

"_Aye!_" They chanted, boots pounding off concrete.

"Go make sure Sodom and Gomorrah ready!" Zambai ordered at Kiwi and Mozu, who were running towards the exit. Franky nodded approvingly. They would need the King Bulls to transport it out of the city.

"Alright, and be quiet!" Franky added loudly, turning to face the operation as the as the rigging was set up to hoist the gold. "We'll be in and out in less than two hours!" Franky turned to face the men. "Zambai, you handle the rigging; Kiev and Tamogon, you're in charge of the torches; Schollzo and Kop, you get ready with the trolleys. And _you_ three…!" Franky turned towards the Kairiki Destroyers. The three largest of the Franky Family grinned happily. "…You're doing the cutting!"

"Right-o, boss!" The Franky Family cheered, rushing to work. It was well-past midnight, probably closer to dawn, but they were all wide awake. They needed cut the gold into small chunks, ship it out, and get the hell out of the city before the backlash came. Franky would leave half of the gold, he owed Iceburg that much, at least, but the rest was all theirs. The Franky Family needed that money.

_We're in our element here_, Franky thought proudly. The Franky Family were fairly poor bounty hunters, but they were absolutely infamous for their dismantling abilities. There was a longstanding tale told in Water 7; the one about the merchant who docked to use the bathroom, but then returned to find his entire galleon had been completely dismantled in the harbour. Now, instead of a ship, the Franky Family just had to disassemble a giant block of gold.

The tools were brought out by the dozens. They had giant, gas-powered torches to heat the gold and make it soft, and automatic saws to cut through the metal. They had the equipment to do in a matter of minutes what most processing plants would require weeks.

But, by far, the most vicious tool that they had was an immense jackhammer that Franky affectionately called 'Big Bertha'. Bertha was a beast of tool; it used the same cola powered that Franky himself was powered from. The jackhammer was fitted with a four inch thick, reinforced steel chisel, with enough power behind that it was capable of tearing through iron like a hot knife through butter.

Franky had built Bertha years ago, but only twice had he ever had the chance to use it – Bertha was just too powerful for most jobs; she was more likely to grind a whole ship into dust rather than break it into pieces. Now, Franky finally had a chance to really let rip with Bertha and see what she could do.

_The boys can handle the torches and saws_, Franky decided, _but Bertha is _mine.

Even despite his cyborg strength, Franky could still barely heave Bertha out of its box. The jackhammer was nine foot long from tip to handle, and so heavy that Franky was panting as he tried to steady it. He wobbled uncertainly as he tried to balance the huge jackhammer straight but it was impossible to get a good grip on it.

"Now, now, Bertha," Franky growled. "You're not overpowering _me…!_ _Centaur… Franky…!_"

With a sudden click, Franky trigger the mechanism built into his abdomen. He winced slightly as he felt the mechanics kick in, as metal levers that had been built into muscles and nerves started to twist and slowly his legs began to part. Metal bars opened up from his thighs, splitting his lower body vertically and sliding out the front half of his legs until they stood like a second set of legs. Franky had to wince as the locking mechanism clicked his new knees and ankles into place, but then 'Centaur' Franky was standing with an extra set of legs appearing from his front.

Franky grunted with satisfaction as he rested Bertha on the support made from his front legs, using his extra legs to balance the tool into position. In his original concept, the extra legs emerged from the back, but then Franky changed the idea when he realised how much more useful front legs would be.

His four legs were spread apart for balance. His front legs were the ones that still had feet attached, while his back legs were just metal clamps that rested on the ground. Franky grunted, triggering a mechanism on the side of legs, and suddenly bolts were shot downwards from his ankles, piercing securely into the concrete floor.

Franky never even felt that. Truth be told, his legs had been one of the most damaged parts of his body after the train accident that had forced him to transform into a cyborg. He had had to completely refit most of his lower body. He had replaced his broken bones with metal joints and most of his muscles had been reinforced by mechanics. After all that, there were very few nerves still remaining in his legs, one of the reasons he could actually use Centaur Franky.

Even his skin, which looked normal enough until you looked very closely, was just skin that had been dragged over metal plating. Franky thought that he had done a very good job of hiding the seams where he was all bolted together.

"Alright, Bertha!" Franky shouted loudly, placing his goggles on securely before revving the engine and the beast of the tool growled into life. "Let's see what you can do!"

Bertha started off slow, but she built in momentum until she was shrieking and squealing like a ravenous howl. She was so loud that the warehouse reverberated like a giant bell, while the chisel flashed forward and backward so fast that Franky couldn't even keep up. The recoil was so intense that it should have shattered his teeth, but, of course, Franky's teeth had been fastened with metal bolts into a reinforced jaw.

As soon as the jackhammer touched the block of gold, the gold was shredded away like paper. The Franky Family shouted in success as he tore his way straight through the heavy metal.

"Come on girl!" Franky roared, barely audible through the sound of Bertha's engine. "Let's get going!"

It was lucky that the warehouse was so deserted, because the sound of all those torches and saws blaring was like a crescendo that caused the ground to rumble. Within seconds, the gold wasn't a block anymore.

_Damn_, Franky thought proudly. _At this rate we'll be done in minutes, not hours!_

The thought made him rev Bertha up just a bit further, until she was screaming like a bat out of hell as she ate through the gold ravenously. Gold sparks flew everywhere, but Franky just felt a thrill as the jackhammer pounded forward. It was so powerful that it should have shredded his bones to dust as well, but the shock absorbers built into Franky's shoulders took the impact.

_Perhaps I should build something like Bertha as a weapon_… Franky mused. _A giant jackhammer in my arm as a brutal, armour piercing saw…_

The truth was that Franky's body was just as much of a device as Bertha was. Over the years, his failing organic body had been reinforced, stripped away and replaced with mechanic. Battle Franky 36. Franky still had all of his internal organs, more or less, but they were now reinforced with metal structures and were sharing space with the cola powered engine built into abdomen. His ribcage was metal plating more than bone.

Franky was no doctor, but he had taken an engineer's approach when it had come to saving his life; if it was broken, replace it.

At the time, it hadn't been easy. It had taken him a year before he could even stand up after the accident. There had been months of pain so intense that agonising couldn't even come close as he had been forced to join metal plates through flesh and bone. Franky's transition to a cyborg had been beyond horrifying. There had times when he had been severely tempted to just end it all. A less driven or less talented shipwright would never have survived the process.

Nowadays, it was easier for Franky to make repairs or modifications. There was very little of his natural body left, after all. Nowadays, Franky was powered just as much by motor oil as he was by blood.

For a long time, the thought had made him sickeningly squeamish. Now, Franky was just used to it. Now he was a cyborg capable of tearing a block of metal apart. The thought egged him on just a bit further as the adrenaline pounded and the cola pumped.

"Watch out!" One of his men called warningly. "I think the rigging might be tearing!"

"Oi! Boss!" Zambai shouted warningly. "Maybe ease back a bit?!"

The roar of Bertha was so loud that Franky couldn't hear him. A few of them started to hesitate as the vibrations caused the hoist to rattle warningly. The block of gold was hovering a metre off the ground, but it was trembling uncertainly.

Still, Franky didn't stop. He couldn't hear. "Boss!" Zambai bellowed, waving his hands madly. "_STOP!_"

_There was too much gold dust in the air_, he realised suddenly. Franky couldn't see what was happening. The gold wobbled as Bertha carved another groove through it. The vibrations were too much. The rigging was being torn apart.

"_Fuck!_" The Franky Family shouted at once, diving backwards. The next second, one of the chain buckles snapped, bursting through the air like a giant crack of a whip. The second after that, physics reasserted itself and suddenly everything came crashing down.

The gold burst out of its hoists and went crashing to the floor. It was only a metre up in the air, but it was very, very heavy. The steel braces buckled and snapped, and suddenly the whole operation ruptured as everything fell apart. The concrete shattered under the force of the gold crashing downwards. A huge cloud of stone and gold dust flew everywhere with a deafening boom.

Franky barely had time to react. He only just managed to duck as a flailing chain nearly took his head off, but even then metal shards bounced off his skull with a metallic twang. As soon as Franky dropped downwards, Bertha toppled out of his grip and went haywire, crashing to the ground and carving straight through the concrete in plume of dust and rubble.

"_Damn it, what was that!?_" Franky screamed, struggling to see anything through the cloud and coughing madly as the dust hit his lungs. His head was spinning, but he just realised that Bertha was still running full throttle, the chisel gouging through the ground.

Franky tried to secure the jackhammer, but she fought and thrashed madly, chisel pounding with unstoppable force as Franky tried to lever her upwards. Franky roared, muscles and engine pounding as he tried to drag Bertha upwards.

"_Boss!_" The Franky Family shouted, suddenly lightheaded after the shockwave. A moment of panic hit Franky as his flailed desperately for Bertha's trigger, while the engine screamed in torment.

Bertha's engine was sputtering, Franky realised with shock. Too much dust in the exhaust, it was blocking up the cylinders. Bertha was making a choking sound like a ferocious dragon suffocating on a boulder. He could feel the engine jamming, struggling to clear itself with huge bone-jarring recoils. She was tearing herself apart.

_Maybe I made Bertha a bit _too_ big_, Franky thought with a sudden panic, feeling the metal shatter under the strain.

"EVERYBODY GET BACK!" Franky roared, twisting the jackhammer away from his men and shielding his face.

"_What the hell is going on here?!_"

With a resounding crash, Bertha sputtered and exploded. There was a moment of stunned quiet, followed by a weak, pained gasp.

* * *

Usopp didn't like the hotel. It was too clean and organised, and filled with bumbling people that he didn't recognise. Everybody would always call him 'Mister' or 'Sir' there, and he hated that. The Going Merry was never cleaned or organised. The Going Merry was always thoroughly and reassuringly untidy. The Going Merry was always _his_ untidy, like a little messy hole that he could always snuggle up and sleep peacefully in.

And so, Usopp started to sneak out of the hotel and spent his nights onboard the Going Merry, relishing in every nook and cranny of the old, comfortable ship.

_When we get our new ship_, Usopp often thought firmly, _I'm going make damn sure it's a mess_.

Occasionally, Usopp would come to the Going Merry to talk, happily chatting away to the empty rooms. She never replied but he was always certain that she was listening. Other times, Usopp would go there just to sleep, and he never failed to sleep like a baby when he was surrounded again by the familiar creaking and groaning of the Going Merry.

In fact, he was sleeping so deeply that he never even reacted when the sound of heavy footsteps and laughing echoed around the warehouse. Even when the sound of automatic tools and heavy work echoed around the warehouse, Usopp barely even stirred.

It was only when a sudden boom, louder than any bell burst through the night that Usopp shot upright, gasping in shock. His head was spinning, his brain reeling as he struggled to come to grips with sudden consciousness.

"Wha…?" Usopp groaned, staggering upwards and smacking his head against the top bunk in the dark. He cursed and gasped, rolling tiredly in the dark as he nearly toppled after. There was a lot of noise from outside, he realised vaguely through a sleep-deprived haze.

Rubbing his eyes, Usopp yawned as he crawled out on to the deck. "What's going on…?" He mumbled. The stairs creaked around him warningly, but Usopp was too tired to notice.

It was only as he emerged out onto the deck and he saw the huge plume of smoke that he realised something was very wrong. There was panicked screaming everywhere. Usopp blinked twice, pulling his nightcap off his head as he raced down the gangway in his pyjamas.

"_What the hell is going on here?!_" Usopp screamed shrilly, the words splitting the air.

With a huge crack, there was the sound of metal splintering. Something exploded and Usopp could only blink as metal sparks shot everywhere. The shockwave sent him crashing backwards, his back slamming roughly into hull of the Going Merry. Usopp groaned in pain, but suddenly everything went quiet.

Usopp blinked. There were at least fifty men, most of them wearing metal armour and carrying tools, assembled in the middle of the warehouse. The metal block of gold had a huge gouge carved through the centre, and it was sitting in a misshapen heap halfway through the ground. There were tools and debris scattered everywhere. Usopp processed the scene slowly.

All of the men were staring directly at him. They were all wide eyed, with mouths gaping open.

"Huh…?" Usopp muttered confusedly. Slowly, he became aware of a dull ache in his stomach. Usopp slowly looked downwards.

And there was a three foot long, four-inch thick metal bar protruding straight through his stomach and out the other side.

"Oh." Usopp muttered dumbly. It took a while for his brain to register the pain. He tried to move weakly, but then realised that the metal bar went straight through him. It had actually nailed him into the ship's hull. There was blood oozing out of his chest. A _lot_ of blood. "_Oh_."

Fifty eyes were focused on him in silent horror. Usopp felt woozy as the blood poured straight out of his body. And then pain clicked.

For a second, Usopp wondered what he was supposed to do now. Usopp took the only sensible option, and he screamed at the top of his lungs in pure, mind-shattering agony.

* * *

_Five miles away…_

"_Ahh!_"Luffy gasped, jolting awake without warning. There was no time for any confusion or hesitation. In a second, Luffy was instantly fully alert, feeling his heart race as his skin tingled.

His mind shot outwards. His whole body reacted as if he could feel the scream scraping across his bones. It was too far away for his ears, but he could feel the aura exploding in nightmarish pain. It was a feeling that shook him to the core.

He knew who it was without even thinking about it. Luffy's Mantra had always been hypersensitive when it came to his friends, and there was absolutely no way he could ever miss something that intense.

"Usopp…!" Luffy gasped, feeling a cold sweat burst on his skin.

Next to him, Nami stirred from her sleep with the sudden movement. "…Luffy?" She mumbled tiredly, as the captain panted heavily.

There was only the briefest pause. _No time to explain_, Luffy thought furiously. _Usopp needs me. He needs me _right now.

Suddenly, Luffy was running, tearing out of the bed with raw urgency. He was wearing only his pyjama bottoms, shoeless and shirtless, but Luffy didn't care. There was no time. The door was closed, but Luffy crashed through the flimsy wood without slowing down.

He could feel Usopp's location, and that was all Luffy cared about. Anything that was in his way was irrelevant.

As Luffy charged out of the hotel room, he only fleetingly managed to glimpse the hands of the clock sitting by the doorway.

The clock showed five-forty in the morning.

Luffy's heart was racing even faster as he burst out into the corridor, sprinting madly straight down the long corridor. He was moving quickly and gaining speed. The wall at the end was getting closer quickly.

_Usopp needs me_, Luffy thought with gritted teeth. _No time for stairs_.

He could feel the pain, the urgency. It felt like his friend was dying. It was a thought that rocked Luffy to the core. Luffy's skin was tingling as the sparks flew from his body. His body tensed, and then suddenly he was smashing through the stone wall and hovering in the air, four stories above the ground.

Without even thinking about it, Luffy reached inside of himself and unleashed the lightning.

The sky over Water 7 cracked and boomed with immense thunder. The ground rumbled.

In the blink of eye, Luffy was suddenly shooting across the sky with a blinding beam of light, in a straight line towards the warehouse. There were three buildings and a clock tower in his way, but that didn't even slow him down. He covered the five miles in less than five seconds.

The sky roared as the blinding bolt of light crashed through the city.

… Meanwhile, in Luffy's mindscape, Mr Rumble slowly rubbed his eyes, feeling the turmoil of emotions writhe around him as more and more power was drawn from the devil. Mr Rumble yawned tiredly, but then he gripped his armchair as he stretched out, cat-like.

Mr Rumble could help but grin as suddenly the mindscape erupted like a volcano. The devil cracked his knuckles in anticipation as he strolled through the empty courtyard of his mansion, feeling the electricity crackle and burn around him.

"Well…" Mr Rumble muttered under his breath, eyes glinting. "…It's about _time_…"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The mood dropped like a stone. Within a second, everything was silent.

"Holy shit," Zambai muttered in dread, staring at the bloody body pinned to the Going Merry. "We've got to get out of here."

For the first time in years, Franky was left absolutely lost for words. Everyone was staring at the unconscious Usopp, blood still oozing madly out of the wound, and Franky just didn't know what to do. Franky was still clutching the remains of Big Bertha, struggling to process the scene.

Franky tried to say something, but his tongue felt numb and his throat seized up. For a second, the image of Tom, a harpoon skewered into the fishman's huge body, flashed violently before Franky's eyes.

"Boss!" Zambai shouted, eyes filled with panic. He could feel frenzied horror starting to creep over the stunned warehouse like a dark fog. "We need to move. _Now._"

Franky blinked helplessly. Everything suddenly felt so detached, like he was in some surreal dream. He could hear his mouth stuttering stupidly. "I killed him… I killed him…"

Tamogon gulped. The round man's face was bone pale. "Maybe he's not dead…" he muttered hopefully, trying to stagger up off the ruined ground.

Zambai's shoulders were shaking. "_He's got a fucking chisel through his chest!_" He snapped, voice cracking. "Of course he's dead! And we need to get out of here right–!"

…

…Even in his shell-shocked state, Franky distinctly remembered a slight pause in the atmosphere where absolutely nothing happened. The air seemed to tense, but for a fraction of a second the moment seemed to stretch out, like time seemed to freeze right up until…

And everything exploded.

"_**USSOOPPPP!**_"

It wasn't a voice; no voice could be _that_ loud. It was an explosion of thunder shaped into that single word. The shockwave alone took Franky off his feet. A second later, his head was spinning madly as he felt his body being flung off the ground like a doll.

Then the far wall of the warehouse exploded – no, it was _consumed_ – in a halo of pure, blindingly white light. There wasn't even debris as the stone and metal was instantly vaporised.

It was like a meteorite slamming into the warehouse. The force and heat was so great that the concrete instantly burst into flames.

Hell itself hadn't actually been unleashed and it wasn't really the apocalypse, but, at that moment, there was absolutely nobody in the vicinity that would have been able to tell the difference.

Before Franky hit the ground, he was barely able to register a speeding figure shooting by him. But then the shockwave sent him flying into the wall and everything went black.

Luffy appeared in front of Usopp in a second, rematerializing in a blinding flash of lightning. The sniper was unconscious, his skin pale as the blood rushed out of him. Usopp was left dangling slightly off the ground; shoulders slumped like a doll that had been nailed on to the wall.

Very briefly, Luffy felt the dread soak through him and he hesitated. Usopp wasn't screaming anymore, but his presence felt frighteningly weak. Everything felt panicked and Luffy could still feel Usopp's pain echoing through his head.

Usopp was unconscious, but someone was still screaming nearby, and in his panicked state it took Luffy a few seconds to realise where it was coming from. _The Going Merry_, Luffy realised. The ship was screaming for her friend.

"Usopp…!" Luffy muttered breathlessly, before clenching his fists. There was no time for doubt. His friend needed him.

Luffy's hand dissolved into lightning and he easily sliced off the end of chisel with a smooth wave. Usopp blood was still oozing out, but there was frighteningly little left. Luffy had to stand in a puddle of Usopp's blood as he sliced through the metal at both sides and lifted Usopp to the ground.

A moment of doubt hit him. The chisel went straight through, Luffy realised. Was it safe to pull it out? Luffy had horrible images of Usopp's body just collapsing around a gaping hole as soon as he removed the metal bar. A moment of doubt hit him – Luffy was no doctor – but then he felt Usopp's presence dwindle a little more and that made the decision for him.

With a lightning fast motion, Luffy clutched the metal bar and dragged it outwards. It came out with an awful squelching sound. Usopp shuddered, but before he had time to lose any more blood Luffy slammed both his hands across the wound and forced the lightning downwards. The air flashed and the smell of burning flesh hit his nose, but suddenly the lightning twisted and coiled as the heat cauterised both sides of the Usopp's torso.

His heart was beating, but the rhythm felt unsteady, Luffy realised. His whole body was instantly so sensitive to even slight change in the static in the air. Usopp hadn't even shuddered as Luffy had been burning his skin shut. Luffy could the feel the panic as he slammed his hands over Usopp's chest, channelling a small, steady stream of electricity in short bursts.

"Come on Usopp!" Luffy screamed, as the lightning pulsed until he felt Usopp's heart starting to race again. The sniper looked completely nonresponsive. There was blood in his swelling up his throat.

_He needs a doctor,_ Luffy thought frantically. _He needs lots of doctors. He needs life-support. He needs drugs. He needs surgery. He's bleeding internally, he's lost too much blood, there's too much damage inside_. The waves of doubt were suffocating as Luffy frantically tried to figure out what to do next.

Usopp's breathing was very, very weak. The metal bar had gone straight through one of his lungs. Luffy was left gasping for breath in pure panic, tears rolling madly from his eyes as he realised that he had no idea what to do next.

Usopp needed a hospital, but Luffy wasn't even sure where the nearest hospital was. Luffy could go search for one, but Usopp would be electrocuted if Luffy tried to carry him in lightning bolt form. Somehow, Luffy seriously doubted if Usopp would be able to survive a mad race around the city.

_Should I go search for help?_ Luffy wondered briefly. He could feel Chopper's presence, but it was on the other side of town. What if Usopp's heart stopped beating when Luffy was gone, and he was the only one who can zap it back into rhythm…?

Every second felt like an eternity. There was adrenaline racing through Luffy's body and his heart was pounding madly, but he just had no idea what to do.

That feeling was the most nightmarishly terrifying thing he had ever felt.

_There are people coming_, Luffy realised. The whole city must have seen the lightning bolt. He could feel the presence of the first responders rushing to the warehouse. There would be doctors among the shipwrights. _If Usopp could just survive a little bit longer, then help was coming_…

Luffy clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles hurt. He was shaking so furiously the air was crackling with electricity. He didn't know what to do…

And suddenly, there was a crack behind him. Luffy's head snapped around, to see Franky staggering up out of the rubble. The ship dismantler was still clutching the shattered remains of the jackhammer.

For a moment, the two men met each other's eyes. And then the anger was so intense it felt like Luffy's blood exploded, like gasoline pounding through his veins. Franky's eyes widened in shock.

"_**You.**_" Luffy growled, glaring with pure, murderous hatred at Franky.

That was all the warning Franky had before the fist crunched into his chest with bone-shattering force.

* * *

_On a nearby rooftop…_

Lucci paused, cat-like, on the edge of the building as he observed with keen eyes. The night was dark but the lightning was very, very bright. Each crackle was enough to illuminate the whole warehouse district.

He was at the very edge of the shipyards, safely outside the conflict, but close enough to observe. The shipyard was already stirring into action. After all, they regularly dealt with gunpowder and other explosives, so it was no surprise that the shipwrights took the threat of fire very seriously. Lucci could already see the fire response team racing towards the warehouse, and doubtlessly the other emergency responders were scrambling.

Curiously, Lucci checked his watch. _Hmph_, he conceded. _Kyukyu's team has a very good response time. I'll have to give him a commendation in the morning_.

After all, he might have been a spy, but he was still a foreman.

Otherwise, Lucci just watched quietly, resting against a nearby chimney as the chaos unfolded beneath him.

Not long later, Kaku joined him, looking slightly out of breath after he had raced towards the commotion across the buildings. The spy's eyes widened in shock as he stared at what was happening. The sky was still bubbling with black clouds spitting out lightning. Kaku took off his cap in awe, whistling softly.

"Wow," he muttered. A huge crater had been gouged into the middle of the warehouse. "Looks like things are getting pretty crazy down there."

Lucci didn't reply. His eyes were fixed firmly on the burning building.

There was a moment of silence. Kaku glanced at Lucci, shifting uncomfortably. "Don't you think…?" Kaku muttered uncertainly, between the booms of thunder. "Well, shouldn't we do something?"

Lucci paused, and then frowned. He appeared to think about the question for a while. "_Why?_" Lucci asked finally.

Kaku hesitated, and then sighed. "…Never mind."

The silence stretched out quietly. They both watched the lightning rage for some time.

About twenty seconds later, Kaku reached into his jacket and pulled out a letter. His eyes were still firmly fixated in the distance as he slowly tore the letter into shreds.

* * *

_Off the coast of Water 7…_

They heard the booms first. At this distance, it was easy to mistake them for cannon fire. The crew was wide awake in seconds. The Revolutionaries barely rushed on to the deck quickly, except for Daisuke who stumbled around in the dark trying to find his pants.

Bloodgrin was already out on deck – he didn't really keep normal sleeping patterns like most people. "You nearly missed the fun," Bloodgrin said with a toothy smile, pointing into the distance.

The skies over the city thrashed and crackled madly. Each rumble of thunder caused the dark clouds to ripple like water. Each bolt of lightning was so bright it illuminated a huge silhouette of the city across the sea. Every blast was like a giant hammer slamming down onto the ground furiously, throwing up huge sparks with every impact.

Namami whistled under his breath. "Well, damn," the cowboy muttered. "… Looks like _somebody_ is well and truly pissed off…"

Behind him, Daisuke took one look at the scene, before turning around and scampering to hide under his bed. Dagmund rolled his eyes, but the dwarf's hand was firmly on the handle of his crossbow.

Hamilton watched silently for a few seconds, before casually wiping his lens clean, putting on his glasses and leaning over the side. There was so much electricity in the air it made every hair on his body prickle. He took a deep breath, and he could smell the air burning.

"Dagmund, bring the sails in," Hamilton ordered quietly, eyes fixed on the lightning. "We need to reach there as soon as possible. I think Water 7 has just become a very eventful place."

Dagmund hesitated. The sight of the sky rolling with thunder caused him to hesitate. "Is this going to be safe?" He asked cautiously.

Hamilton turned around and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "…For whom?"

* * *

_Holy shit_, Franky thought in shock, but the words just weren't enough. They didn't convey a suitable amount of dread that the situation required. Franky barely had time to blink before Luffy's knuckles were suddenly pounding into his solid steel cyborg skeleton.

Franky went flying with breakneck speed, and landed skull first into through a pile of debris. Luffy was still faster, and the pirate was there with a spinning kick that sent him crashing into the ground. By more luck than anything, Franky managed to raise his right arm to block the blow, but Luffy didn't even seem to notice.

Franky's shoulder clicked as the pain jolted through it. Through bloodshot eyes, he saw that his right arm had been completely shattered; twisted and mangled at the joint and broken in at least two places. One of the advantages of Franky's cyborg replacements was that he couldn't feel how bad the damage really was.

_My body is made out of reinforced steel_, Franky thought in shock. He knew from experience how much damage he could withstand. Still, Luffy's lightning-powered blows were so devastating that Franky might as well have been made porcelain for all the good it did him.

"BOSS!" A shout called from the wreckage around them. Luffy turned, just as the Franky family recovered enough to rush to their leader's aid. Three large men clutched huge cannons and fired, while suddenly the ship dismantlers charged Luffy with swords, axes and huge wrenches.

Luffy barely even seemed to notice the cannonballs as he easily sidestepped them, and then he raised his hand like a man taking aim. Luffy's gaze was cold as the lightning bolts fired from his palm in quick succession.

Each bolt was unavoidable. The sparks of light sent the men screaming and flying backwards, punching through solid stone and setting the air alight. One by one, in less than a second, there were two dozen smoking men crashing to the ground as the lightning continued to tear through the debris of what used to be a warehouse.

Their screams cut through Franky's pain. He could only glimpse the smoking outline of Zambai before the man was sent flying into the dirt by a vicious lightning bolt.

"…No!" Franky snapped, struggling to speak through the blood swelling up in his mouth. _My family is in danger_, Franky thought furiously. The thought overpowered everything else as he forced himself off the ground.

His fist clenched, steel knuckles glinting in the burning darkness. _Strong Right!_ He roared mentally, punching with all the power he had left straight at the back of Luffy's head.

For the briefest of moments, Franky felt as wave of victory as he realised Luffy couldn't dodge in time. But then, Luffy's skin crackled and Franky's fist was left phasing straight through Luffy's dematerialised body.

Luffy didn't turn around. Instead, his whole body just rippled and transformed. And then instantly, before Franky could even flinch, Luffy was already turned around, glaring straight at the cyborg. It was like everything else was moving in slow motion, but Luffy was as blindingly fast as always. The momentum was still carrying Franky forward, with his fist outstretched uselessly, as Luffy easily grabbed a hold of Franky's wrist.

Luffy tightened his grip and glared, focusing all of his rage until it roared out of him like an unstoppable tsunami. And then, there was suddenly a thousand volts being pumped out of Luffy, through his palm, into Franky's wrist and then straight into the cyborg's body.

The electricity burnt like fire scorching through him. Franky wasn't even capable of screaming properly as his whole body erupted into agony.

That was when the real pain began.

* * *

Between the lightning, the darkness, the smoke, and the dust, there was barely any visibility in the ravaged warehouse. Still, Luffy barely even noticed. The pirate wasn't using his eyes anymore; instead he could visualise the whole scene with perfect clarity through his Haki, and through the waves of static in the air which suddenly seemed so tangible he could control them at will.

Luffy had never felt like this before. He kept on drawing more and more lightning from his Devil fruit, and he just kept on getting stronger and stronger. If there was a limit to the power, Luffy couldn't even feel it.

_This is the power of the _awakened_ Rumble Rumble fruit_, a voice in the back of his head crackled. _It has been millennia since the world has tasted _this_ level of lightning._

Luffy's whole body was trembling. The anger was still there, and it made him feel stronger and faster than he had ever felt before. Around him, the Franky family had been totally defeated, yet Luffy felt like he had barely even exerted himself.

Franky himself was the only one still conscious, but barely. The man was left on his knees, his body trembling in pain as Luffy still gripped his wrist. The air was vibrating with lightning. The electricity burning through Franky's body left him helpless.

There was a pause. A moment of doubt hit Luffy, yet he didn't slacken his grip. The image of Usopp, skewed with a nail through his chest and Franky, the one holding the weapon. Luffy could still feel the rage, burning through him so intensely he could barely think properly.

_Kill him_, a voice muttered at the back of his mind. Luffy clenched his teeth, but he hesitated. _Kill him!_

Every second felt like an eternity. Luffy was working at the speed of lightning, the world just seemed so slow he could barely process it. He was still drawing more and more lightning, even as it burst and crackled violently into the air around him.

Luffy wasn't even channelling the lightning deliberately anymore; he had opened the floodgates and now the electricity was just pouring from him, unrestrained. The static danced around the air, surrounding him with furiously crackling bolts of stray power.

"_Kill him._" Luffy's body stiffened. The words weren't mental anymore, instead the crackle of the lightning had changed, and reverberating until it spelled out each syllable at the same pitch of nails scraping on chalkboard. "_Kill him._"

The lightning itself was chanting now, gaining in pitch. "_Kill him. Burn him. Scorch him. __**Destroy him**__._"

Every muscle Luffy had was tense. The electricity in the air twisted and coiled, vibrating in the air until it formed the outline of a man. The lightning took shape, projecting a figure made out dancing electric sparks. The image of Mr Rumble was actually standing in front of Luffy, glaring at him impatiently. The devil's eyes were pure white fire.

"_Kill him!_" Mr Rumble snarled. It was an animal's snarl. Mr Rumble's features were starting to morph into that of a fanged demon. "_**Kill him!**_"

"_**KILL HIM!**_"

Luffy honestly wasn't sure if he ever made a conscious decision. All he knew was that the air sparked, and Luffy felt all that rage boil and overflow.

A wordless scream burst from his throat. His other hand was slamming straight onto Franky's skull. The lightning pulsed, and suddenly Luffy was pumping thousands of volts directly through the cyborg's brain.

And Franky screamed. Luffy had never heard a scream like it. It was the sound of pure agony and horror forced out of burning lungs. Luffy hadn't imagined that a big guy like Franky would ever be able to make a sound like that.

Franky's skin boiled and blackened, but he was still screaming even as billows of smoke erupted from his burning flesh. Luffy recoiled in disgust, but the lightning didn't stop. Luffy wasn't even sure if he _could_ stop the lightning anymore.

The lightning seemed to dance in joy as the power just kept on flowing. The stench of bubbling meat scorched the air. Through the waves of smoke, Luffy was sure he glimpsed Franky's head, his skin peeling off, and his skull glowing red-hot like steel.

Luffy was screaming too, yelling wordlessly as the power consumed him. The lightning kept on increasing the voltage until air itself shattered under the power. The anger, the bloodlust, the rage; it all mixed together into an unstoppable tidal wave of pure electricity.

_Damn you!_ Luffy screamed, as the image of Usopp burned through his mind. _Damn you damn you damn you!_

Franky just kept on screaming. Luffy could feel his stomach twisting in disgust. _How the hell is he still alive?_ Luffy cursed. No matter how high Luffy upped the voltage, Franky just didn't die, but his screams were raw, undiluted agony. _What the hell is his body made out of?_

The sound of screaming was pure torment. And the lightning was loving it.

And finally, when Luffy couldn't take the screaming anymore, he finally snapped. With one last roar of fury, Luffy slammed his fist forward. His Haki-reinforced, lightning fast knuckles crunched straight through Franky's metal chest and burst out the other side.

Blood mixed with motor oil splattered across the ground. Luffy felt the gears and mechanics in Franky's chest jam and sputter against his arm.

With one last, weak gasp, Franky finally went silent.

The lightning dissipated with barely a crackle. The energy drained away. Luffy was left breathlessly clutching the scorched corpse, his arm still protruding out of its upper ribcage.

All that rage seemed to collapse in on itself, leaving Luffy instantly drained. Luffy gulped weakly, feeling the swell of despair and grief bubble inside his chest. His hands were trembling as he slowly forced himself to his feet.

With one final glare, Luffy roughly shoved the blackened corpse to the ground, before turning around and staggering back towards Usopp.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The sparks were rejoicing happily while Mr Rumble dropped back onto his armchair. With a click of his fingers, two bolts shot off like fireworks, while Mr Rumble replayed that moment over and over again.

The devil was grinning victoriously as he watched the man burn to death. Of all the murders he'd seen in his lifetime, it was still one of the better ones. Even after a million charred corpses, the sight of flesh bubbling was absolutely beautiful to him. _Ah_, Mr Rumble thought happily; _somethings just don't ever get old_.

_It was a good start_, Mr Rumble decided smugly. _But I want more_. Lightning always wanted more.

"Atta boy, kid!" Mr Rumble shouted cheerfully, clapping his hands to the empty mindscape. "Atta boy!"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**... And let it begin...**


	36. Chapter 36: Savour the Moment

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Isn't it wrong how people just jump to conclusions all the time? I mean, you see a guy writing One Piece fanfiction for free on the internet while living in the decaying, cold, hollow shell of his life, a shell which he has filled with shattered dreams and insane delusions, and they just** **_assume_ that he doesn't own One Piece. Well, you know what, maybe I _do_ own One Piece - so _there!_**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**After an attempted heist by the Franky Family goes disastrously wrong, Usopp ends up in critical condition, and Luffy kills Franky, much to the glee of Mr Rumble. **_

_**In Water 7, government assassins, led by Rob Lucci, are preparing a coup over Iceburg's Galley-La Company, while Robin, scared of what might happen in a confrontation and struggling with her own long-held fears, has distanced herself from the pirates to try and keep them safe.**_

* * *

**Chapter 36: Savour the Moment**

* * *

Robin was scared. She could feel the fear every second of every day. She felt the fear like a physical pain, a dull throb in her chest that was nearly crippling.

She knew she shouldn't feel like this. After years on the run, she had felt so much fear that she had come to believe she was immune to its effect. Fear had always been there, but eventually Robin had just stopped caring about it.

But this fear was different. It was a fear that left her feeling like a helpless little girl again, and that thought was the most terrifying thing she could ever imagine.

Robin sighed, heart pounding. Her hand hesitated just before the door handle, struggling to push it up. She bit her lip, but finally she could take it no further. Her hand clenched the handle as she pushed it open, and she was suddenly hit by the sharp smell of dried blood and disinfectant.

The hospital was all white floors and bright rooms. Robin felt so out of place here. The doctors were all friendly enough and she knew that they were trying to help, but still just walking down the corridor was enough to make her skin prickle. Perhaps it was just the nature of place that made so uncomfortable; after all, a hospital was only one step away from a morgue.

She didn't belong here. _None of us do_, Robin thought, with a twinge of regret.

Robin knew what to expect inside. She hadn't visited before, but that didn't mean she didn't care. She had stolen copies of the doctor's report, paid close attention to every development, and got as close as she could without anyone noticing her. She had been prepared.

But despite everything, the sight of Usopp lying motionless in the hospital bed, pale and covered in wires, still caused her to tremor.

The sniper was hooked up to life support, his skin sickly pale and vaguely green. There were tubes in and out of his body, with his lower waist covered in a thick bandage that was still oozing slightly. His body had been smeared with disinfectant. If it wasn't for the pump whizzing away next to his bed, Robin would never have known that Usopp was still breathing.

Robin hesitated suddenly, unsure of what to do. There was another figure in the room, hunched over Usopp's bedside. Robin's heart jumped. Honestly, the knowledge that he would be here was the main reason why Robin had been trying to put off visiting.

"Hey Robin," Luffy said quietly, not even looking up as she quietly approached. His voice was weirdly numb.

As far as she could tell, Luffy hadn't left Usopp's bedside all week. The entire crew had visited and pretty much setup a vigil in the hospital, and Chopper had obsessed over his patient frantically, but Luffy had still been by his side more than anyone. Robin had deliberately picked the quietest time possible to visit, but she had always known that Luffy would be there.

Somehow, his presence just made an awkward situation so much worse.

"Hey," she replied softly, not quite sure what else to say. She paused. "How is he?"

Luffy nodded. "He's tough," he replied simply, his voice level. "Chopper said that he might need a lung transplant, but he's stable. He did lose a kidney. Apparently Usopp was lucky it didn't sever his spine."

Robin pursed her lips, walking around the bed awkwardly. The air was thick and tense. "But Usopp's tough," Luffy continued quietly, staring at his friend. The long nose stood up vertically into the air. "He's always been tough. He's the toughest one of all of us, even if he didn't believe it himself.

Robin nodded, but didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. She moved to take a seat briefly, but then hesitated, standing awkwardly by the bed. Luffy took a deep breath, before standing up, and walking towards her gently. His eyes were red and Robin wondered how much sleep he was working on.

She didn't react as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, in a soft, gentle hug. "I've missed you, Robin," he whispered softly, voice thick with concern. "Where have you been?"

The question wasn't accusatory. The tone made Robin tense. It would have been easier if Luffy had blamed at her for not visiting, but there was nothing but warm relief that she was here now. Robin gulped, hands shivering, and she had to step backwards out of his grip before her resolve broke.

"It's…" Robin muttered, avoiding his eyes. "…I've been busy."

"Are you alright? Luffy pressed, his eyes pained. "I mean, I wanted to find you but…"

His gaze flickered and his voice trailed off. "You couldn't leave Usopp, I get it," Robin said with a nod. "I'm fine, Luffy, it's just… I didn't want to interfere here."

He blinked. "You're never interfering, Robin, you're part of the crew!" He paused, looking at her seriously. "You know that right? You're always part of the crew."

Robin bit her lip but didn't reply. There was something different in the air between them. It took Luffy a while to realise it. Robin's posture was different. She was tense, guarded, closed off. The thought made his insides squirm.

There was a long moment of silence. "How are the others?" Robin asked finally.

Luffy nodded weakly. They all handled the situation differently. Sanji had been found five miles away, blacked out drunk and thrown in a ditch. The chef had took the news about Usopp badly, so bad that he could barely even look at anyone as he mumbled apologises no one asked for, but later he stormed out and kicked a metal anvil until his shoes wore away, before leading the charge and hunting down any escaping Franky Family with frightening ferocity.

Chopper had been close to breaking down in tears, but the doctor still rushed to Usopp's aid with a fervour that would have made Hiluluk proud. Nami had tried to take control, screaming at the doctors until she had the entire ward rushing around her, before Vivi had to drag her to one side to calm down. Wiper and Zoro stayed more detached, or at least appeared to, but both of them still stood guard outside Usopp's door for days.

The first days had been all panic and emotion. Now, Usopp was hooked up to life support and becoming more stable with every day and things were starting to calm down slowly.

"They're alright," Luffy replied cautiously. "It would have been better if you had been here."

"There was nothing I could do to help."

"You always help," Luffy said firmly. "_Always_."

Robin's hands clenched. Luffy hesitated, but he kept his distance like there was some sort of bubble surrounding her. Luffy had seen her armour before, but there was different. She looked almost fragile, brittle and… scared?

_Scared of me?_ Luffy thought dumbly.

"Did I do something wrong Robin?" Luffy muttered slowly, uncertainly and confused. "Or… or should I have done something and I missed? I don't know what to do, I just… I just…"

He sighed. "I just _need_ you, Robin," he said, his voice low.

_I'm scared too_, Luffy admitted, still feeling tingles running down his spine. Luffy thought he had known fear. He thought that he had gotten so accustomed to it that he just didn't notice it anymore. Luffy thought nothing about laughing about a giant whirlpool or a sea monster, because he knew that it was always better to be angry rather than afraid.

Yet he was scared now. It was a fear that he couldn't overwhelm with anger or determination. He was terrified every second he stood by Usopp's bed, because at any moment his friend could die and there was nothing Luffy would be able to do about it.

But the real fear was every time he closed his eyes, and he felt the lightning inside. The image of smoking skin still flashed before his eyes. Luffy had lost control of that lightning. He had lost control and he had murdered a man.

And Luffy could justify it. Franky had tried to murder Usopp, so Luffy had killed him. But the scary thought, the one that he never told anyone, was that Franky had died because a devil inside of him had demanded it, and made it happen. It hadn't been Luffy's choice, but he still did it and to lose control like that, to not actually have any control in the first place, that was the most terrifying thing Luffy had ever imagined.

That was the other reason Luffy was trying so very hard not to fall asleep.

Luffy and Robin stared at each other for a long time, both of them struggling with the words that they just didn't know how they could say.

Vividly, Robin remembered the first weeks she spent after the destruction of Ohara. She spent days floating aimlessly on a raft before washing up on a random island and having to walk, barefoot and starved, trying to survive. The nights had always been the worse – during the days she was busy fighting for her life, but at night, she her spent her time trying to sleep and just staring at the one thing that she had managed to take with her from Ohara; a small, golden-rimmed fountain pen.

That pen had been all that was left of her hometown, of Professor Clover, and of the scholars. Clover had given her the pen when she aced the entry exam. A good scholar needs a good pen, Clover had laughed. For a while, Robin had kept that pen close to her at all times, even when she had fled the island.

Afterwards, she would stop to stare at it, and think of all the memories of her old hometown. The bad memories, the ones of her aunt's abuse and neglect, those she could handle. But it was the good memories, those precious good memories, they had been absolute torture.

After a few years, Robin finally threw that treasured pen into the ocean and walked away. A clean break, it was easier that way.

Suddenly, standing in that room with Luffy, Robin felt like the little girl clutching that pen again. Her hands clenched.

"I can't," Robin muttered finally, her voice stiff. "Luffy, this isn't working."

Luffy blinked. Robin shifted slightly, her stance colder. "What?" Luffy murmured.

_Very shortly, the marines will come for me_, Robin thought dispassionately. _If they don't get me, they'll get you. If you try to stop them, they'll hurt you like everyone else_.

If her childhood had taught her anything, it was that everyone who tried to help her suffered for her. The only way that Luffy might be able to get away is if he stopped caring about her as soon as possible.

"I think it's better if we take some time apart," Robin said, her voice stronger than she felt. "It isn't working between us."

The silence stretched on. The words oozed in slowly. "Robin…" Luffy muttered dumbly. "…Are you breaking up with me?"

Robin's nails dug into her palm. "Yes," she simply. "Let's try to stay apart from each other for a while."

"Robin…"Luffy stammered. He was blinking repeatedly. "Robin… if you don't want to be together… Robin, we're still friends right?" There was a touch of urgency in his voice. "We _are_ still friends."

It was the happy memories that were the worst torture. Her voice nearly cracked. "This isn't working Luffy," she said hoarsely. "It won't work between us."

He stepped towards her slowly. Robin held out her hand to stop him three feet away. Later, when she could feel anything again, Robin would be quite proud of herself for not crying.

"Robin…" Luffy muttered slowly.

She took an object from behind her back and pushed it into Luffy's chest. He blinked as he took the worn book numbly. Memories of being curled up with her, hunched over and reading that book together flashed in front of him. Robin's eyes were firm. He tried to hand the book back to her dumbly, but she pushed it back into his hands.

"Keep it," Robin said simply. "We finished that book a long time ago."

A clean break was better for everyone. Robin walked around the room and closed the door, leaving Luffy standing statue-still, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

* * *

"Sir, first order of business…" Kalifa said formally, standing with a pile of papers in front of Iceburg's desk. "…We have a request from the design team for approval of funding…"

Iceburg didn't even look at the paper. "Send it to accounting," he said firmly.

A frown flickered across his secretary's face, but she nodded. "…There's a query from the quartermaster about stock discrepancies…"

"_Pass_." Iceburg said dismissively. He normally handled problems like that first thing, but Iceburg could barely even think about the morning routine right now.

Kalifa filed that paper under a box marked 'Pending' on his desk. She reshuffled her list quickly. "…Very well," she said curtly. "Then, final matter, I have a draft for your speech for the opening ceremony tomorrow, and I need you to–"

"Scrap it," Iceburg growled. In his pocket, his mouse squeaked and curled up in a ball. "I won't be attending."

Kalifa paused, and adjusted her glasses. "But sir, you have to attend," she protested. "It's expected that the president cut the rope on any new class of ship – it's tradition!"

"I'll be busy," Iceburg muttered moodily, arms folded as he stared fixatedly out of the window. In truth, he had done very little recently. "Find someone else. Get that banker, Kyung or whatever."

"Sir, Mr Kyung has taken a leave of absence due to illness," Kalifa replied. "Your presence is requ–"

"Find someone else!" Iceburg snapped. Kalifa blinked. The president paused, and then sighed. "Please… just leave me."

With a polite bow, Kalifa bristled and walked away. As soon as the door closed behind her, Iceburg groaned and collapsed in his chair. Honestly, he barely had the motivation to even get dressed anymore.

Unread reports on the ship progress scattered across his desk. Some of Iceburg's best work had gone into that ship, but now he couldn't even think about it. Kalifa had wisely redistributed the responsibility between the foremen, but Iceburg was left sitting uselessly in his room, brooding and pacing restlessly.

He just wasn't capable of entering the ceremony tomorrow. It was far, far too much to ask for Iceburg to stand up on stage and shake the hand of the man that had murdered his best friend.

Still, as far as anyone else was concerned, Iceburg had no reason to grief. Cutty Flam had died years ago, and Franky was just a criminal and lawbreaker. When he heard the news, Iceburg felt like his world had turned upside down, but nobody else had even cared about Franky's death.

As a matter of fact, the day after Iceburg had staggered into the Galley-La building and overheard a man casually mention that it 'was about time' Franky was taken care off. That was the first time Iceburg had ever taken a sick day from work.

And the worst part was that was nothing to be done, or even to be outraged about. By all accounts, the case was pretty straightforward. Franky had tried to rob them blind, one of the pirates tried to interfere and Franky impaled him on a metal spike, and so then Luffy decimated Franky and half of his family.

During Iceburg's darker moments, he thought about even pressing charges against Luffy for murder, but how could any judge even prosecute that? 'You were wrong for defending yourself against armed intruders stealing your property and for saving the life of your comrade'?

But Iceburg wanted a trial. He _needed_ there to be consequences. He needed his friend's death to mean something. But instead he was just left with an awful accident _and_ _nobody cared_.

That stung more than anything else. Iceburg still remembered cheerful, brash but well-meaning Cutty Flam. That apprentice didn't deserve this.

But instead the majority of workers were more upset about the demolished warehouse rather than his murdered friend. And Iceburg couldn't even give them any reason to care without posthumously spilling Franky's secret, and what good could that accomplish now?

_There is no good here_, Iceburg thought bitterly. They had recovered Franky's body, or at least what was left it. It took a while to clear out the wreckage of the building.

After that night, everything had been a mess. About a dozen of the Franky Family had been arrested, but most had either fled or were buried in the debris. The death toll was still sketchy. Very quickly, the island had turned into a very dangerous place for the Franky Family; the pirates had been relentless in hunting them down. Some of the bounty hunters scattered and fled Water 7 quickly, but most had ended up beaten to an inch of their lives and dumped into the prisons.

Iceburg had no idea what to do with the captured Franky Family, or even what he could do. It was in the hands of juridical system now, to be processed and sorted.

It was enough to make Iceburg want to scream. The president was normally very level headed person, but even he had grabbed a hammer and demolished several walls in his house in rage. The anger fizzed away quickly, and the outrage seeped out afterwards, leaving Iceburg with nothing left but his grief.

_I entrusted Franky with the blueprints_, Iceburg thought bitterly. _With Franky dead, there's no telling where he might have hid them. I can search, but I'm completely blind and it's a big city. That's Tom's legacy, down the drain right there_…

Iceburg knew he was in a depression cycle. He knew he was grieving and he knew it wasn't helpful. He was practical person and he knew that he was just hurting himself here. But still, he had absolutely no motivation left, and all his drive was dying away…

_Franky had always tried to help this city_, he thought with numb despair. _He tried to chase away the other criminals and protect the city that Tom loved so dearly. He was always loud, flashy and disruptive, but he always tried to help_…

And nobody cared.

With a dull sigh, Iceburg curled up on his desk and cried softly. It wasn't particularly useful, but it felt like Iceburg was getting something done.

* * *

"Are the preparations complete?" The voice drawled quietly, sounding mildly bored.

Lucci nodded absentmindedly, as he leafed through the papers he was holding. The Transponder Snail sat on his desk in the middle of the office, a dull green snail with disinterested eyes. "Yes sir," Lucci replied simply.

"Then it is time to bring finally bring Nico Robin in," Admiral Aokiji ordered. There was perhaps just a touch of unwillingness in his voice. "Will that be a problem?"

Lucci raised his eyebrow, but of course the admiral couldn't see it. "No sir."

"And Iceburg?" Aokiji pushed. "Will that be a problem?"

"No sir."

There was a moment of silence. Lucci was still just sitting in his office, casually going through a pile of paperwork. He paused as he came across a small, paper towards the back of the pile. For a second, Lucci debated shredding up the piece of paper.

"As far as the world is concerned, neither the Government nor the Marines will have any involvement in what happens next," Aokiji commented. "There must be no traces leading back to us. Is that understood, Lucci?"

Lucci paused. Without a word, he slowly picked up a pen and scribbled a note on the back of the piece of paper, before casually filing the paper into its proper place.

"Absolutely, sir," Lucci said dryly. "No traces."

Aokiji was silent for a moment. The admiral didn't like Lucci that much was obvious. Kuzan was a man that, despite everything he did, he kept his own sense of morality. Lucci, on the other hand, worked on a very different set of rules. The admiral might have been the one to give the order, but it was still Lucci that carried out his own plan.

"Will the conspirators be a problem?" Kuzan asked eventually. There was a long pause between the questions.

"No sir," Lucci replied formally, with seemingly infinite patience. Kyung and his lot had proved almost easier to manipulate than Lucci had expected. "They 'insisted' on hiring their own assassins. Mercenaries, sir, fairly competent ones at that. They are taking their places as we speak."

"Very well. The Ciper Pols will be on alert should you need them," Aokiji explained. _I won't_, Lucci thought silently. "When you reach Enies Lobby, report to Chief Spandam for the conclusion of your duties."

"Joy," Lucci muttered, barely audibly, rolling his eyes softly. Louder, he said slowly. "Sir, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Why did you wait so long to bring Nico Robin in?" Lucci asked curiously, though he suspected he already knew the answer. "If you wanted her to unlock the Ancient Weapons, you could have brought her in at any time. Why now?"

A pause. "We all have our obligations," the admiral replied simply. "Just do your job. Bring Robin in alive, unharmed and with as little collateral damage as possible."

Lucci's fingers twitched. "Yes, sir. I promise that'll work to the best of my ability to ensure that no torment comes to Nico Robin," he lied coolly.

* * *

_The next day…_

The city was abuzz with excitement. Dock One was practically swarming with citizens and shipwrights all eager to get a glimpse of what had been proudly publicised as the 'Greatest Ship in the World'. It was noon, and the ship opening ceremony was already well underway.

Luffy knew that he should be enjoying himself. Under normal circumstances, he would be. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, a party was forming and an all-you-can-eat banquet was being set up, and Luffy usually _loved_ proving those wrong. But it was the first time out of the hospital in nearly a week, and Luffy was having a hard time enjoying himself at all.

There had been a part of him that didn't even want to go. His eyes were raw and he was emotionally exhausted. Still, Usopp was stable and this was the chance for the first glimpse of their next ship as the shipwrights revealed the keel and rib structure. Usopp would hate for them to miss it.

The pirates were already there, guests of honour in the ceremony. Vivi had worked hard to arrange everything, while Zoro and Wiper discovered the booze early and were quickly drawing a good crowd. An entire train full of supplies arrived from the neighbouring island city Pucci, the gourmet city, and Sanji was already digging in.

There should be a loud marksman bragging and yelling at the centre of the crowd, Luffy thought bitterly, but he remained determined to force to the back of his mind. Luffy paused to watch Conis and Aisa playing with a group of local kids, causing them to giggle as Conis would whistle and summon dozens of hummingbirds that darted around the ground.

Luffy sighed as he felt the presences of all those people surround him, though he tried not to notice the way everybody gave him a wide berth. They had all seen the thunder and lightning a week ago.

The time passed sluggishly. Slowly, Luffy had walked towards the water house at the centre of the dock, waiting for the time that their ship would be revealed. He overheard a couple of shipwrights talking about the cancellations they received. Apparently Iceburg wouldn't be coming, and one of the shipwrights they invited, a guy called Den, dropped out at the last minute. Also, one of their train conductors, someone called Kokoro, had apparently just abandoned everything and disappeared.

"Luffy!" A voice called suddenly, shaking him out of his daydream. He turned just to see Nami rushing towards him with a big smile. "You're here."

He forced a smile. "Hey Nami," he said lamely, as she grabbed him by the hand.

"Come on!" She ordered, pulling him away. "They'll be opening up the doors of our new ship soon. Plus, we've got to mingle and search for shipwrights."

He rushed after her, while the crowd slowly migrated towards a stage at the front of the warehouse while a shipwright, one of the chief foremen of another dock, prepared to make an address. Luffy tried to be excited, he really did, as Nami dragged the crew onto the stage, standing at the back, but at every moment Luffy's eyes were skimming the crowd trying to try and pick out a familiar face.

The ceremony was really beginning, but Luffy could barely pay attention. Nami glanced at him, holding his hand tightly.

"Luffy?" She asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

"It's…" Luffy faltered, glancing around. "You haven't seen Robin around here, have you?"

There was pause. Nami's mouth tightened slightly. Luffy was about to ask what's wrong, when suddenly there was a cheer from the crowd. Luffy turned just to see the wall of the warehouse being lifted away, revealing their ship proudly.

It was the size that hit Luffy first. He had heard that they had tried to restrain themselves on building something big, but the ship was still much, much bigger than the Going Merry. A man o' war, he realised dumbly. It was at least four times as big, so large it dominated the entire warehouse.

It was only a skeletal ship held up with scaffolding, but it was still absolutely huge. The keel was a solid piece of shaped wood, but thicker than an elephant, made of wood so bright it looked almost golden. Luffy could see every line of the timber, seamless and perfect. The ship was only just the barebones, the ribs covered with weak sheets of plywood, but still large they could probably fit the entire crowd inside of it.

He tried to imagine what it would be like when it was done, but he couldn't. The only thing he had seen was small, delicate sketches and drawings that just didn't seem to compare to a ship so huge. It was only a skeleton covered in scaffolding, but somehow the ship itself still seemed to have a formidable aura.

The crowd was cheering. Next to him, Zoro whistled under his breath, impressed. Luffy slowly stepped towards it, reaching out towards one of the towering ribs careful. As soon as he touched the wood, Luffy felt his hand freeze and he recoiled.

"Be careful," A large shipwright next to Luffy advised. He was a broad man with pointy black hair. Lulu, Luffy recalled. "That wood has been laced with Seastone."

Luffy frowned. "Seastone? Why?"

"Same technology the Marines use," Lulu explained. "Seastone radiates with the ocean, it means that the Sea Kings won't even notice you. With a ship like this, you could even cross the Calm Belt."

Luffy nodded, while other people rushed to get closer to the ship. Luffy barely even noticed as Nami slipped away in the crowd, but then he glimpsed a swirl of orange hair through the sea of faces. Luffy frowned as he chased after her a second later.

"Nami!" He shouted, as she ran off the stage, towards the back of the warehouse. She was upset, he realised numbly.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted, finally catching up to her. She was glaring at him angrily. "Nami, what's wrong?"

"You are!" Nami shouted, frowning. "You've been walking around like a zombie all day!"

"What?" He exclaimed confusedly. "Nami, I've been…"

"_Do you love Robin?_" The exclamation was so sudden Luffy stopped. Nami practically growled the question.

Luffy froze. There were tears swelling up in Nami's eyes. They weren't good tears. He could see the anger on her face.

"Nami, what's this about?" Luffy muttered slowly.

"Do. You. _Love_. Robin?" Nami snarled through gritted teeth.

_Yes_. The instinctive reply almost came out of his lips. Still, something about the accusatory edge to Nami's voice told him to be very, very careful. "I love all of my crew," Luffy replied carefully, taking a half step backwards instinctively.

"Robin, me, _Vivi_? How do you rank us, Luffy?!" Nami screamed, makeup smudging. "In order, from the top. Who's the best _fucking lay_?!"

His head spun. "…Nami, I–!"

"Or has _Robin_ always been first?" She demanded, stepping backwards as well. Her voice was quieter, and somehow that was worse.

Luffy could barely think straight. "I don't… I'm worried about Robin, she's…" His voice jammed.

"She broke up with you, Luffy," Nami muttered, eyes filled with dread and doubt, glancing around the empty alley frantically. "And, hell, maybe she was right. Maybe _this_ just doesn't work."

Nami was crying. He made her _cry_. He gulped. "Nami, what happens between me and Robin has nothing to do with how I feel about–"

"No!" Nami screeched sharply. "_That's_ the problem, Luffy, because it _does_."

He could feel his heart pounding. Nami bit her lip, suddenly uncertain. There was a moment of indecisiveness, but then Nami turned around. He tried to follow, but she held up her hand to stop him. Luffy was left watching her walk away, high heels tapping as she broke into a jog.

"_I don't want to be the spare_," Nami muttered, eyes filled anguish, just before she disappeared around the corner.

It took a few minutes for what happened to sink in. Luffy's hand was trembling. Nami had been crying. _Crying_.

Luffy tried to take a deep breath, but he couldn't. It was like his lungs were clamping shut. He was left gasping weakly, feeling the world start to spin around him.

* * *

From his office on the top floor of the Galley-La building, Iceburg could just about see the corner of Dock One. He could see the ceremony taking place. Ship opening ceremonies were always pretty fun. Everybody met up, there was a speech that nobody listened to, and then the shipwrights all went and had a party. There had been a time when Iceburg been quite excited to get to that party.

Now, he was just left sitting in an empty office, in a deserted building, feeling completely useless.

At one point, he tried calling for Kalifa, but for no response. It was only as he walked through the empty offices that he realised that everyone would be at the ceremony.

The quiet was almost painful. With nothing left to do, Iceburg broke into Paulie's office, scrounged up a bottle of whiskey, and dropped onto a sofa.

"Hell of a legacy, eh Tom?" Iceburg muttered bitterly, before taking a deep chuck of the bottle.

He couldn't even enjoy the drink properly, as within a minute the silence drove to stand up again, pacing restlessly around the building.

Iceburg was the type of man who needed a task. He only ever worked properly when there was something he could focus on, on something he could build, something he could fix. Without a purpose it was like he could feel himself grinding away.

The president was growling as he stormed back into his office, looking desperately for something to yell at. He paced across the room across the room a few times, before stopped as he glimpsed a paper lying on the top of the pile on his desk.

_Stock discrepancies at the warehouse_, Iceburg recalled, remembering the matter Kalifa brought to him yesterday morning. "Somebody's lost track of a plank of wood…" Iceburg grumbled, reading the note out of pure curiosity.

Five seconds later, he frowned. The note was vague, but it seemed to imply that someone had missed a delivery. It was written in that very careful middle management way that tried to raise an issue while also being as completely non-accusatory as possible.

"What the…?" Iceburg muttered, his manager's sense tingling. Something was off.

Iceburg frowned and suddenly slammed the paper back onto the table. "No," he said firmly. "Not my issue. Somebody else can deal with it."

He walked away. He reached the door, before hesitating. "No," Iceburg told himself. "Leave it."

_I've given my life to this company_, he thought furiously. _I'm allowed one day of moping around by myself_.

Iceburg opened the door and stormed out. Five seconds later, he spun around mid-step and stormed back in again. "Argh, alright," he grumbled, grabbing the piece of paper. "I'll check it out."

He stormed out of the office again. Three seconds later, he returned to pick up the bottle of whiskey.

The taxi drivers were all busy, so Iceburg had to walk across the pathways and down canal streets towards the warehouses at the other side of the docks. Without his suit and his normal entourage, nobody even gave him a second glance. Iceburg dropped the bottle of whiskey into a canal as he charged up irritably towards the warehouses.

A security guard blocked his way. "Can I help you?" The guard demanded suspiciously.

Iceburg glared, his patience alright depleted. "I'm the bloody president, you twit. Now take me to see the quartermaster or you're fired."

It took a some annoying minutes before they finally let him in. By the time someone finally recognised Iceburg, there were quite a few men looking scared for their jobs. As Iceburg charged into the warehouse, the workers were milling around in the way of men trying desperately to look busy. The quartermaster himself was waiting for Iceburg with a pale face.

"Ah, Mr President," the quartermaster said sheepishly. He was a short man with a pot belly and a nervous twitch. "I'm so sorry, we weren't expecting you, otherwise we'd–"

"Yeah, yeah," Iceburg sighed, waving the piece of paper. "You sent this to my secretary, right? What's the problem?"

He gulped. "Well, I'm sure it's just an administrative misstep, it's really nothing so urgent you needed to come all this way…"

"Enough! Just tell me the problem."

"I'm sure it's nothing more than some miscommunication–"

"What's the problem?!"

"It's most definitely not a mistake _I_ have made, of cou–"

"The problem." Iceburg growled through gritted teeth. The quartermaster vaguely resembled a pig being dragged towards a slaughter house.

He tugged at his collar. "Well, it's to do with the wood that was ordered. You know, the wood for project 540…"

"Yes…?" Iceburg muttered with growing annoyance.

"Well, I was, um…" The quartermaster coughed. "…I was just wondering when are we to expect the delivery?"

Iceburg blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, with the ceremony and everything, I assumed that materials would be here by now…"

"We ordered that wood a week ago," Iceburg said slowly, as if talking to a dimwit. "It arrived four days ago. The wood for keel and ribs were assembled in Dock One while the surplus material was moved to a warehouse awaiting the main construction phase. That's how the _production flow_ works."

"Well, yes, I'm aware of that," the quartermaster said, almost shivering. "I assumed the stock had been delivered to a different warehouse. It was only when I was chatting with one of the other quartermasters, well, they were under the impression that that wood was _here_."

Timidly he motioned to his warehouse. Iceburg suddenly realised that there were huge empty spaces towards the front of the warehouse. _That's not right_, Iceburg thought dumbly. Warehouses should always be full. Empty spaces were wasted efficiency.

"That wood…" Iceburg muttered slowly. "…cost over five hundred million Beli. It was some of the most expensive wood in the world. Are you telling me that you _don't know where it is?_"

The man practically squirmed. "It's nothing to do with me!" He gasped. "I just sign off at the manifesto, and take the goods! I signed off at the manifesto, but the goods didn't arrive! Everything else isn't my job, that's… that's… that's somebody else job!"

"Whose?" Iceburg demanded.

"I don't know!" The quartermaster confessed. "Whoever writes the manifesto!"

"_I write the manifesto!_" Iceburg growled. The man practically turned purple. Iceburg turned around furiously, hand on his head, as if he could will tons of wood to suddenly appear.

"This doesn't make sense," Iceburg muttered, brow furrowing. Admittedly, he had been pretty distracted with grief this week, but he clearly remembered the crates being delivered. "I _saw_ them unload the cargo at the docks. There was a _thousand tons_ of wood and supplies! There were stock checks and quality management at every stage. This couldn't have happened. All of the paperwork is in order."

_Something was very wrong here_, Iceburg thought furiously. There was a system in place so nothing could get lost. Every single nail had been accounted for. _How could a thousand tons of wood disappear, anyways?_

The quartermaster held up his hands innocently. "It's nothing to do with me!" He protested frantically. "We haven't received anything here!"

The president spun around. "_What?!_"

The man looked ready to choke. "You haven't received _any_ deliveries?!" Iceburg demanded. The man shook his head, unable to speak. "_None?_" He nodded furiously. "_At all?_" Another nod. "_In the last week?!_" Frantic nods.

Iceburg blinked, eyes widening in confusion. "But… But…" He stammered. "If there hasn't been any wood… then _what the bloody hell have we been building that ship out of?!_"

* * *

_What a lovely day_, Lucci thought pleasantly, as he sat on the ledge overlooking Dock One. They were some distance away, but from this vantage point Lucci could still make out the crowd of people easily. There was music and the aroma of fresh food in the air, with children playing happily and vendors selling their wares. The buzz of the Sea Train bringing in more visitors was a gentle hum in the backdrop of the sound of happy merriment in preparations for the party.

The ceremony had begun at about noon, but by now the setup was over and the evening was winding up towards a night of partying. Lucci had been sitting on that ledge from the beginning, and he had been watching for about five hours straight now.

In preparation, Lucci had finally shredded his old shipwright's overalls. His black suit fit him like a glove, with a white tie and his hair brushed back into a ponytail. He held his black top hat in his hand, fiddling absentmindedly with the rim, as he simply lounged around, enjoying watching the festivities.

Slowly, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Lucci smirked. "You came," he said simply.

Nico Robin's eyes were dark. She wasn't handcuffed, but Kalifa and Kaku still walked next to her very closely, flanking her on either side. The other two CP9 agents were both suited up as well.

"Did I have a choice?" Robin growl, eyes defiant.

Lucci put on his hat and stood up, stretching like a cat. On his shoulder, Hattori chirped. Lucci glanced between Kaku and Kalifa. "Leave us," he ordered.

Kaku frowned. "But the orders–"

Lucci raised an eyebrow. Somehow, that action alone caused Kaku to stop. "_Please_," Lucci said slowly, stressing the word with almost dangerous politeness. "Leave us."

Kaku shared a glance with Kalifa, but the next moment they both disappeared in a whirl of speed. Robin was left alone with Lucci, glaring at him. Lucci looked totally unconcerned.

"Thank you for making this easy," Lucci said conversationally. "It really is appreciated."

"If I try to run, you'll kill my friends," she muttered stiffly. "That's how it works, right?"

"That's how it's _always_ worked," Lucci reminded her. "Didn't stop you from running in the past, though, has it?"

Robin didn't reply straightaway. She was trembling, Lucci noted. Every step he took closer to her, the faster her heartbeat raced. Lucci turned to gaze at the crowd in the distance.

"Just promise you'll leave them out of this," Robin said finally. "I'm the one that you want, they are meaningless to you. Promise me you won't hurt them and I'll come with you."

There was a pause. Lucci looked at her, and tilted his head. "You must really like these ones, hmm?" Lucci sighed. "I mean, you've been with pirates in the past, but that's never stopped you from turning them in at a second's notice, right?"

"They're unimportant to you," Robin growled. "You've got me, that's what you're after, isn't it?"

"So you're sacrificing yourself for others then?" Lucci mused, arms folded. He stared at her like a predator stalking his prey, waiting for her to run. She didn't. "I suppose _that_ makes a change."

The taunt hung in the air. Robin's hands clenched. "What are you doing here, Lucci?" She demanded. "Why were you in Water 7? You weren't waiting for me, were you?"

"True, you were just a lucky little coincidence," Lucci admitted. "And I'm on a different job. Still, you really don't know how happy I am to see you again, Robin."

Her body stiffened. Lucci walked towards slowly, stopping until he was less than a foot away. Lucci smirked. "You always make my missions _fun_ whenever you turn up," he whispered gently.

Robin was barely even breathing. Her voice was hoarse. "'Mission'?" She muttered, eyes narrowing. "Are you sure that's what this about?"

There was a pause. Lucci chuckled. He slowly raised his hand towards her face, moving to brush her hair across. Robin had to force herself not to recoil at his touch. "Ah. Are you still thinking about that night we spent together, all those years ago?" Lucci said quietly. "…About that precious, _tender_ time we had with each other?"

The moment froze. Lucci's hand was still by her cheek. His eyes were hard. "Don't falter yourself," he muttered coldly. "You were just a mission then and you are a mission now. I was ordered to sleep with you, and so I did. If the order came to kill you, I'd do that too."

Her hands clenched as she stared at the second ex-boyfriend she had to face recently. Lucci's hand was so close, and she knew how it easy it would be for him to snap her neck. She could see it in his eyes.

Her eyes were quietly defiant even as the fear flooded her system and her pulse raced. "What are you waiting for?" Robin snarled. "We both know how this is going to end. Just get it over with already."

He didn't react. Robin refused to cry. She absolutely refused to shed a tear despite the gut-wrenching fear burning through her. "_Do it!_" Robin screamed, hands trembling.

And then Lucci smirked. It was a cold, venomous smirk that sent shivers running down Robin's spine. "But Robin…" Lucci muttered quietly. "…It's already _done_."

The seconds ticked by slowly. Robin stared, struggling to understand that statement. Then, with deliberate care, Lucci's eyes flickered. Robin followed his gaze.

He was staring at the ship opening ceremony.

Realisation clicked slowly. Robin stepped backwards. "…No…" she muttered in shock, looking between him and the docks in the distance. "… No… you promised…"

Lucci looked at her with a sceptical expression that seemed to clearly say 'did I?'. He was still smirking.

Robin gasped for breath, feeling the shock soak through her. "…But… but… but…" She looked around the rooftop in shock. There was a moment of pure indecision as Robin and Lucci met each other's gaze. Hers was frantic. His was cold.

Then, Robin started to run. With barely any warning, she was suddenly sprinting, full speed straight towards Dock One. She jumped off the rooftop and was running as fast as possible, down the canal street heading towards to the docks.

Lucci could have stopped her. He decided not to. He was chuckling slightly under his breath as he walked lazily to the edge, and sat back down on the ledge to watch the show.

* * *

The warehouse was in chaos. The workers were probably expected a nice easy day, but Iceburg demanded a completely inventory stock straight away. Suddenly, there were men rushing about, dragging the top of every single crate and counting everything. He had sent runners to all the other warehouses and suddenly the whole district was in pure frenzy.

"Invoices, receipts, manifestos!" Iceburg ordered loudly. "Any paperwork you can find to me, _right now!_"

With every second that went by, Iceburg become more convinced that something was very, very wrong here. Now, he was intent on finding out exactly what.

A couple of the workers found Paulie, sleeping behind some of the crates at the back after a night of drinking and hiding away from debt collectors. At first, the foreman was flustered be the activity, but to his credit he caught up quickly and took charge when he saw the expression on Iceburg's face. Now, Paulie was left ordering men left, right and centre, trying to sort through months' worth of paperwork in a matter of minutes.

Galley-La had a system. There was a constant, mind-numbingly tedious system to everything. There were stock checks and inventory evaluations. There were evaluators and there were foremen with whole piles of paperwork to get through before they even touched a piece of wood. There was no way something this big could happen without anyone noticing.

_But everybody had their own job, didn't they?_ Iceburg remembered the quartermaster, who was so concerned with his own little system that it wasn't his job to think how everything fitted together. Now, maybe, if somebody else knew the system really, really well, they might be able to play it so that everyone thought things were going well on their end, and you might be able to hide something big in all the little edges where everyone's individual responsibility ended.

If there was somebody very cunning, very brave, and totally sociopathic, they might just be able to play the system such that no one noticed a thousand tons of goods disappearing…

Iceburg really didn't like the mental image of what a person like that would be able to do.

_But it still isn't possible_, Iceburg thought furiously. _I write every manifesto myself. I sign off on every stock check. There are whole procedures in place to make sure something like this can never, ever happen._

He paused. _Then again_, a small voice inside of him whispered, _every piece of paperwork coming to you goes through Kalifa first, doesn't it?_

Iceburg had seen those crates being unloaded, he reminded himself. They had been heavy crates, and there had been lots of them. Kaku had overseen the delivery, while Lucci had been in charge of assembling the keel. Both of them must have realised something was wrong, surely.

_Unless_…

Iceburg was a smart man. He was a smart man and he really didn't like the conclusions that he was drawing now.

Water 7 had definitely been delivered a thousand tons of _something_. Now, though, it was becoming more and more obvious that nobody knew exactly what or where it ended up.

More and more, Iceburg was feeling like a man who was only just starting to realise how badly he had been well and truly played.

Five hundred million Beli worth of goods disappeared. A huge chunk out of the gold, gone.

"I found it!" A voice called suddenly, cutting through the hectic dim. Iceburg turned to see Paulie rushing towards him, clutching a huge pile of paperwork tightly. "I found the invoices!"

Iceburg grabbed the pile of papers off him, and instantly started rummaging through the numbers, absorbing every detail with hectic speed. Iceburg didn't know exactly what he was looking for; some sign of forgery, some accounts that didn't make sense. Some slip-up that might possibly explain what happened.

He didn't expect to find a receipt, exactly where it was supposed to be, with everything signed off in the proper order. It was so obvious that it took Iceburg a while to even comprehend it.

"…No…no…" Iceburg muttered, shaking his head as he read through the list over and over again. "…No… this is wrong…"

Paulie frowned. "What?"

Iceburg shook his head, pacing furiously as he kept on glaring at the piece of paper. "This is wrong; you've got the wrong receipt."

The chief foremen looked confused. "But that date is right, isn't it?" Paulie noted, struggling to read the paper over Iceburg's shoulder. "It was in the right place…"

"But it doesn't make any sense!" Iceburg muttered, trying to find some insane typo that might explain the matter. "…This isn't what we ordered with that money!"

Paulie frowned as he glimpsed the back of paper. "Um… boss?" Paulie muttered. "I think there's something written on the back of that receipt."

The president flipped the paper over. On the back, in nice, neat, curly handwriting, the words were written:

'_It's been a pleasure to work with you._'

The words looked so casual, like something that could be written on a postcard. Or a farewell card. It took a while to recognise the handwriting. "Lucci?" Iceburg muttered. "That doesn't make sense… what's he…?"

Iceburg blinked repeatedly. "…But _Lucci_ was the one who actually made that order, wasn't he?" Iceburg had given him the list, but it had been Lucci who had delivered it. Or said he had delivered it. Iceburg shook his head. "No…" he muttered slowly. "…Why would Lucci ever…?"

The realisation came slowly, like a ton of bricks crushing him inch by inch rather than dropping from the sky. Iceburg's eyes widened slowly. "…But… but…" He muttered. "…That would mean…"

Iceburg turned towards Paulie slowly, his face draining of colour as if someone was sucking the blood out of his body.

"Where is Lucci now?" Iceburg asked in quiet dread. He was pretty sure he already knew the answer, but he didn't want to accept it.

"Umm…" Paulie muttered. "At the ceremony, I think…"

The ceremony. The ceremony where all of Iceburg's supporters were gathered. In one place. Shipwrights loved a party, after all.

…

The dread hit him like a steam train. Iceburg couldn't breathe. His lungs weren't working and suddenly his arms weren't either. Iceburg collapsed. Paulie was there to catch him, but Iceburg was hyperventilating, wheezing for breath as he struggled to even think properly.

"Boss!" Paulie shouted, as Iceburg kicked the pile of paperwork with flailing limbs. The papers flew everywhere, while Iceburg thrashed, still gasping. "_Boss!_"

"…Must go…" Iceburg wheezed, face ghost pale as he staggered to his feet, struggling out of Paulie's hands and he limped towards the door. "…Must stop…"

Paulie's move dropped open as he watched Iceburg stagger out of the warehouse. Everyone in the warehouse was staring with confused shock. Paulie was panicked now and he didn't even know why.

Frantically, Paulie looked around the pile of papers. It took him a few seconds to find the one Iceburg had been looking at.

The receipt was for over a thousand tons of high-quality dynamite. Bought and paid for by the Galley-La Company.

* * *

"Luffy!" Robin screamed, running towards the docks. There were people staring but she didn't care. "_Luffy! Run!_"

Back on the ledge, Lucci watched her progress curiously. She was getting closer and closer to the docks, but still out of earshot. The noise of the crowd drowned out even her frantic screams. Still, she was running fast and screaming loud.

"Hmm…" Lucci muttered, before casually putting his hand into pocket and pulling out a small, short-range Transponder Snail. The snail was hooked up to a button instead of a dial. Lucci's hand hovered over the detonator, but he didn't press it.

In the middle of Dock One, there was perhaps the largest bomb ever created. Over a thousand tons of dynamite piled into the middle of the skeletal ship, hidden by the scaffolding. The keel and ribs itself were made out of wood, mostly, and very high quality wood at that, but it was just a hollow, flimsy structure. A shell with an absolutely huge amount of explosives inside, right in the middle of a large crowd. Lucci honestly wasn't sure how big the explosion would actually be. Part of him was really looking forward to finding out.

Kalifa and Kaku appeared behind him quickly. They both looked shocked as they saw Robin running towards the dock.

"She's heading into the blast radius," Kalifa warned. The orders were to bring Robin in alive. They needed her.

"Quickly, Lucci," Kaku shouted. "Press the button."

Lucci didn't reply. Kaku glanced at Robin, disappearing into the distance as she leapt over a canal. Robin could ruin everything. There whole plan relied on catching everyone in the same area. If they managed to get a chance to panic, it could be disastrous.

"Lucci!" Kaku screamed. "Detonate it already!"

"No," Lucci replied simply, still staring into the distance.

Their window of opportunity was closing quickly. Still, Lucci's finger didn't even twitch.

"Not yet…" Lucci muttered. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"…I want to savour the moment," he whispered, smelling the aroma of the city one last time.

And it was such a beautiful moment. It would be a crime worse than mass murder to rush a moment like this one. The sun was shining, it was a lovely day, and everybody had gathered for a party. The city was singing, it was alive, and it was beautiful. He could see Robin clearly, that perfect desperation frozen on her face, and he could hear her screams cutting through the air.

For one timeless, picturesque moment everything just seemed beautiful. Lucci wanted to imprint this moment into his memory for all time…

* * *

Luffy felt the back of his neck tingle. He felt the presence, frantic and desperate, and he slowly turned around.

He was surrounded by the crowd, with people laughing and drinking but strangely everything seemed to freeze. It was like the whole city was gathered around the stage basking in the shade of the new ship.

Luffy turned to stare at the ship. It was such a big ship. He wondered briefly what it was filled with. The numbers '540' were stencilled on the side in shaded, bold writing.

In the distance, Luffy was instantly aware of the clock tower ticking aware over them. The second hand was slowly approaching twelve while the minute hand clicked into place.

And then, even through the crowd, Luffy glimpsed Robin running towards him, her eyes wide and her face pale. Luffy inhaled, taking a deep breath. Robin was screaming something. He could barely even hear it.

"…_**RUN**_…!"

The clock hit twenty to six.

* * *

…With one last smile, Lucci pressed the button.

And the city exploded.

* * *

**_..._**

* * *

**Side Story:**

**The Doom of the Water 7 Customer Design Team**

* * *

**...**

* * *

The windows in their office were barricaded with wooden planks, but that was good because they'd found that sunlight just hindered the design process. As a matter of fact, with the exception of short trips to toilet, it had been a week since either Ayumu or Arata had left the room.

The office looked vaguely like a post-apocalyptic warzone. The once tidy, neatly organised stacks had dissolved into a knee deep pile of paper, vomit, and lost dreams covering the floor. Every drawing desk in the Galley-La building had suspiciously disappeared. The engineers were being powered purely from an alternating combination of strong liquor and stronger coffee.

Also, there was some kind of fungus growing on the bookcase. Ayumu wasn't sure what kind, exactly, but there were times when he was convinced the fungus was sentient and trying to communicate with him. The fungus may or may or not be trying to declare war on humanity, he hadn't decided yet.

Still, the engineers kept on going, despite a growing lack of sunlight, personal hygiene and sanity. They worked their way through countless design revisions, testing procedures, suicide attempts, and, worst of all, the goddamn _review meetings_.

Finally, it happened. Ayumu was sitting on his desk, slaving away reading another memo. Then, like a zombie, he turned the page only to realise there were no more pages. It took a while for Ayumu to realise that he had finally reached the bottom of the pile.

It took a long time for the significance to sink in. There were no more issues to be addressed, no more outstanding requirements, and no more standards to be met.

Ayumu staggered to his feet slowly, pulling the underpants of his head. "…We're…" Ayumu muttered finally. "…we're finished…"

He turned to face Arata, who was busy carving another pentagram on to the floor. "Arata," Ayumu said, louder. "We're done. It is… _finished_."

Arata sat up slowly and blinked repeatedly. "Wh-at?" Arata gasped, in the voice of a man that had forgotten how to speak.

"We are done," Ayumu muttered finally, still not quite believing it himself. "The design, it's complete…"

"But… but…" Arata stammered. "What about the specification order?"

"All done." Ayumu pointed to a huge 'pile' of papers, some of which had been written in blood.

"The blueprints?"

"Finished and checked." A couple of carpenters had threatened murder after looking at the blueprints, but that wasn't the design team's problem.

"The prototype?"

"Barely even self-destructed!"

"The engineering change order?"

"Completed and filed away."

Arata croaked. "What about the purchase specification?!"

"I finished that this morning," Ayumu announced proudly. "It's being processed as we speak. We've ordered the materials for the stage two construction. Our job is _done_!"

There was a moment of shocked silence. After a few minutes, they both began to chuckle. Or tried to, at least. The engineers had lost the capacity for laughter round about hour fifty. Instead, what came out was a series of raspy grunts.

Finally, after a solid week of the most intense engineering design possible, they were _finished_.

They had actually achieved the most impossible ship design.

Ayumu was so happy that he actually went and had a shave. Arata was so happy he decided to hold off on sacrificing his soul to the Dread Demon Lord Glata-Mish for another day.

"Come on!" Arata shouted happily, as he gathered the papers into a single large folder. "We've got to take this to the president right away!"

"Hell yes!" Ayumu cheered, charging out the door. Ayumu bid farewell to the fungus and then moments later they were both cheering and racing down the corridors of the empty Galley-La building. They were so happy that the sunlight didn't even seem to burn so much anymore.

After a weak of severe malnutrition and muscle deterioration, the stairs were a big challenge, but they still managed to overcome it. Fifteen minutes later, the two engineers were gasping as they approached Iceburg's office on the top floor.

"You ready?" Arata asked curiously. Ayumu nodded, while double-checking to make sure he was still wearing clothes.

"Ok," Ayumu gasped eagerly. They both nodded, looked at each other and charged into the office, screaming and holding the folder of papers triumphantly.

It took a while for them to stop screaming. Slowly, Ayumu realised that Iceburg wasn't in his office, and instead there was a strange man in a suit staring at them like they were insane. Ayumu had to nudge Arata to get him to stop screaming.

"Oh," Ayumu muttered dumbly, glancing around the room. "Sorry. We're looking for Iceburg."

The suited man's eyes narrowed. "Iceburg is no longer the president of this company," he said coldly. "My name is Kyung, chief investor and chairman of the board of shareholders. Can I help you… 'gentlemen'?"

Ayumu blinked. Kyung's nose wrinkled distastefully with the smell. Ayumu couldn't understand what he was complaining about – the flies didn't seem to mind the stench.

"Oh," Ayumu muttered. "Well, we're the design engineers. We're here to report…" His chest puffed up proudly. "… that we've completed the design for the new ship!"

Kyung paused. "You mean the pirate's ship?"

"That's right!" Arata said proudly, handing the folder of paper s to Kyung. "Here's the design. That is the greatest design in the world right there!"

Kyung took the folder quietly, leaving through it quietly. "So we've already ordered the materials," Ayumu explained. "Iceburg said that we would have full funding, so…"

His voice stopped as Kyung quietly walked over towards the fireplace, and casually tipped the folder of papers into the flames. There was a moment of silence the greatest ship design in the world burned into smoulders. It crackled like the sound of dreams dying.

"Those pirates are traitors to Water 7," Kyung said coldly. "We are no longer building their ship, and we have severed any association. Iceburg has been removed of power and any contracts or obligations made under his authority are hereby void."

It took a while for the words to sink in. Arata slowly collapsed to his knees as he watched the design burn. Ayumu's jaw dropped open.

"But… but…" he stammered. "What about the _money_? We've already spent four hundred million on materials…."

Kyung shrugged, roughly pushing them out of the door. "If you bought it," he said simply. "You pay for it."

The door slammed shut in their faces. It took a while for either of them to be capable of thinking again. Without a word, they both sunk to the floor. They were blinking repeatedly.

"… Did that just…" Arata gasped.

"…Are we now…" Ayumu murmured, face drained of colour.

There was a moment of silence. Then they slowly turned to stare at each other in pure dread. Their expressions were that of men who had just had their lives ruined and we're now four hundred million Beli in debt.

It was the look of men who had hit rock bottom and were still going down.

Slowly, Arata reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask of whiskey, downing it in a single gulp. He wondered what the Dread Demon Lord Glata-Mish was doing at the moment.

"…How many windows do you think are in this building?" Ayumu asked finally, glancing around the corridor.

Arata shrugged. "A few hundred maybe? Why?"

"Well, I figured we're already four hundred million in debt, it doesn't really make any difference if I add another, say, twenty million to that tab?"

Arata frowned. "What are you buying?"

Ayumu sighed as he stood up. "Drawing desks," he said firmly. "I'm going to need lots and lots of drawing desks…"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**Heh, yeah, this chapter got a bit emotional, didn't it? Still, after that last one, a bit of fallout angst was required, I think. I put the side story at the end after I was told I needed the humour just to lift things up.**

**Now then, this is to anyone who sent a review or message which said anything along the lines of 'Oh my god you killed him, you're too dark, it's not enjoyable, everybody should always survive in One Piece, I'm not reading anymore':**

**Well, yes, this story was always going to have it's share of hurt. Any story that's happy all the time and nobody ever gets hurt, well, that's not really a good story at all. I'm a great believer that you need a balance of the high and the lows, otherwise the highs become meaningless. As far as I'm concerned, it's my job as a writer to create an emotional response, to make the readers invested in the story, and to make them care about what might happen to the characters. You can't do that if nothing bad ever happens and without that, well, it's pretty pointless, isn't it?**

**But that said, to the majority of my readers, as always, thank you for reading and you're welcome to review!**

**Next time: 'How Very Mercenary of You'...**


	37. Chapter 37: How Very Mercenary of You

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do own One Piece. I also own a great deal of medication.**

* * *

**Previously:**

_**Boom.**_

* * *

**Chapter 37: How Very Mercenary of You**

* * *

The corridor was silent as Kyung slowly walked through the wide, spacious manor. The banker was twitching. His whole body was on edge. He didn't like this. Kyung was a man that preferred numbers, trade contracts and negotiation. He could still be ruthless, just ruthless in a less-bloody way.

Now, though, it was like his body was screaming at him. Over the last week he had been through the argument hundreds of times and convinced himself it was necessary, but somehow his stomach hadn't got the message. He had already been sick several times this morning, and the queasiness didn't disappear.

_This is all Iceburg's fault_, Kyung thought furiously. _Damn him – Iceburg did this, not me_.

But there was nothing that could be done now. Instead, Kyung just settled into luxurious house, locked the doors, and collapsed into a red velvet armchair, staring intently at the clock. He had had new locks installed just for this night. Every window was bolted and there were guards standing watch across the property.

_Just one night_, Kyung thought with a sigh. _One night and it will all be over_…

They always knew that this was going to be a rough night.

After a few minutes of restless fidgeting, Kyung headed into the wine cellar, picking out a bottle of his finest vintage to calm his nerves. His hands were shaking as he tried to pour a glass, splattering wine over his silk shirt. The men at his wine club would have cursed him for how quickly he went through that bottle.

Still feeling uneasy, he picked out a record from his collection and dropped into the machine, sighing in relief as the opera music filled the sitting room. Slowly, Kyung turned the music up to full volume, until it was echoing through the manor, and he dropped back into his armchair and waited.

Around twenty to six, he felt a boom so loud it caused the entire street to rock. He was on the other side of the island, but it still felt like an earthquake. Kyung's hands were white as he gripped the glass, and took another sip.

The shockwave was followed by a short moment of silence, but then the screams could be heard. The shrill screams came from the distance, along with the dull rumble of buildings falling apart.

Pretty soon afterwards, Kyung heard the distinct pops of gunfire. Lots and lots of gunfire…

Kyung sighed, and desperately stood up to see if he could turn the music up any louder.

They had all known what would happen here. Kyung had given all of conspirators the exact same instructions:

Relax, stay inside, lock your doors and keep them locked until the shooting stops.

* * *

"Grannie!" The little girl shouted loudly, clutching her grandma's hand tightly as they ran. Next to her, her pet rabbit hopped frantically by their side. "Come on, we need to run!"

"I'm running, I'm running!" The old woman wheezed, barely able to stand. Years of heavy booze and laziness had left Kokoro in no shape to run, but the old train conductor was still sprinting as fast as she could manage, even despite the blood trickling from her side.

"Come on, grannie, they're getting close!" Her granddaughter screamed, trying to drag her mother forward. "Faster!"

Kokoro blinked. The blood loss from the bullet wound in her side was getting to her. _God, I feel like an old woman_, she thought regretfully. "Chimney…" Kokoro panted. "…You're going to have… to… run withou–"

"Faster, grannie!" Chimney screamed, dragging her grandmother across the deserted pier. "Faster!"

Kokoro gulped, glancing upwards at the city. They had all felt the explosion and now, the skies were black from the smoke and ash. The only light came from the burning buildings. Kokoro looked behind her, only to glimpse four figures casually walking after her. One of them was still clutching a smoking gun.

"Do we really have to kill this old woman?" One of the men muttered doubtfully. He was a tall man wearing a bright red jacket, with flamboyant green curled shoes. He was fairly young, with a pointed chin and longish, shaggy blonde hair and the tattoo of a cross across his cheek. He frowned. "Or at least I think it's a woman. Anyways, seems a bit disgraceful, you know?"

"Now, now, Bobo," His colleague muttered with a broad smile. He was the one still clutching the gun that had just shot Kokoro. He was extremely old, with a plump body, no visible neck and a bald head that made him look vaguely like an egg. He wore extremely thick, circular glasses. "Let's not forget that we've got a job to do."

Bobo grunted. "Right-o, boss."

"This old woman is listed here as an Iceburg supporter," the other man muttered strictly, checking the paperwork filled with names and photos. He was a massively obese man, wearing a black sweat suit that was practicality squeezed over his body. His face was bright purple and sweating. "That means she has to die. Biyunka, do you want to do the honours?"

The final figure, a woman shook her head curtly. "No." She was tall, lean, with a flat body, wearing a simple grey dress with wooden sandals. She had short blonde hair curled back into a braid, and an emotionless expression on her face.

Kokoro was still running away. None of the mercenaries looked particularly concerned. "Biyunka!" The fat man grumbled. "You've got to take part somet–"

"No." Biyunka replied simply.

"But –"

"No."

The fat man looked ready snap. The boss pattered him on the shoulder soothingly. "Calm down, Bourin," he said with a kindly old smile. "Let's not argue."

Without another word, the old man drew up his pistol and fired. Even at this distance, the bullet hit Kokoro firmly in the back. Chimney screamed as her grandmother collapsed.

"Bobo, can you finish her off please?" The old man asked gently, completely ignoring the desperate wails of the little girl tugging at her grandmother's jacket. His voice was slow, steady and soothing.

Bobo grinned. "Right away, Gapopo!" He said with a mock salute, clutching his short sword tightly.

Kokoro was still crawling across the ground even as Bobo walked towards her. With one last gulp, Kokoro clutched Chimney and her pet rabbit tightly, twisting around until she fell straight off the harbour. The old woman landed into the dark water with barely a splash.

Back on the pier, the mercenaries blinked. "Is she dead?" Bourin demanded angrily, his chubby face turning beetroot red.

Bobo shrugged, peering over the side. There was no sign of her in the water. "Yeah, probably," he said simply, sheaving his sword again and walking away.

The four mercenaries looked at each other, and then up towards the pluming tower of smoke. They had been supplied a very long list of targets, and in the devastated city they pretty much had free reign. _So many people to murder and so little time_, Gapopo mused.

"Then let's finish up here. The others will need our help. We've got to ensure that no one leaves that explosion alive." Gapopo said cheerfully. His old, leathery face wrinkled as he grinned, revealing a mouth full of missing teeth. "And remember, kids – try to have _fun_."

* * *

Pain. Smoke. Dust. Screams. It was all so muddled that Luffy couldn't even make sense of it.

He had felt the shockwave hit him, and suddenly that was all he felt.

There was no thought. His vision was blur, his ears could hear nothing but a deaf ringing. His head was spinning like his brain had been liquefied and was still swirling around in his skull.

He couldn't move. For a while, he couldn't even remember how to move. It was like he didn't even know where his limbs were.

Luffy didn't know how long he was lying there. It could have been hours, or maybe seconds, but his head was just too muddled to even notice. It was only as slowly started to process everything again that everything came into focus.

The first thing that he felt was pain. Oh, so, so much pain.

His vision cleared next, or at least he thought it did. All he could see was lots of dust and smoke. His ears were still completely deaf, and his head spinning so badly he felt dizzy just lying face first on the ground.

His lungs were screaming in pain. His bones felt like they had been shattered. He tried to move, but he couldn't. He was a paralysed, and his skin was numb.

_Seastone_, Luffy realised dumbly. He could numbly feel sharp objects sticking into his back. The ship had been made out of Seastone-laced wood. _There are Seastone splinters sticking into my back_.

He was left lying paralysed. Every breath was a chore. He wasn't even sure if he breathing properly. Breathing had always seemed so natural before, but now it was like he had to force his lungs to go in and out.

He wondered briefly what it would feel like to die here, in the dust, after forgetting how to breathe.

There were footsteps approaching him. Luffy could feel someone shaking his shoulder and shouting something, but his ears couldn't even make out the words.

Luffy frowned, and tried to concentrate. " –ffy! Luffy!" A voice shouted desperately. He knew that voice. Luffy groaned quietly as he tried to move, but then there were strong hands pulling him off the ground.

His vision blurred out of focus, but he blinked repeatedly until he could make out the face. "…Robin?" He gasped, staring at the person dragging him upwards.

"Luffy, we need go right now," Robin said urgently, wrapping his arm around her shoulder so she could lift him up. "Quickly, we've got to hurry."

"Huh?" Luffy muttered dumbly. Just the sound of her voice was pulling everything into focus. There was so much dust everywhere, but they were standing on a blackened, stone ground. The ground was rumbling, and shaking unsteadily.

Luffy's ears recovered enough that he could hear the screams in the distance. But there was also the distinct sound of gunfire, and one by one it was like the screams were disappearing.

Robin was practically dragging him across the ground. "What's going on?" Luffy stammered. His breathing was becoming more hoarse, and panicked. "Where are the others?"

Robin didn't reply. Her eyes were dark. Her clothes and skin were stained with soot and dust. Then again, Luffy's shirt had been practically shredded. He was wearing the burned tatters of his jacket and trousers.

There were still gunshots in the distance, and they were getting closer. "He hired assassins to finish off any survivors," Robin murmured darkly, her eyes flashing in fear. "Of _course_ he did."

Luffy gasped weakly. "We need to save the others."

Robin glanced at him, still dragging him away quickly. With the Seastone stabbing into his back, he was still paralysed. "Luffy, we can barely save ourselves," she muttered warningly.

"Doesn't matter," Luffy gasped. "We _still_ need to save the others."

Her grip on his shoulder tightened. The smoke and dust was clearing slowly. There was rubble everywhere. The paths and bridges had been shattered, the canals overflowing. Robin reached a street that was now flooded with water, and she cursed as she looked desperately through the smog for another way out.

Luffy blinked, trying to see anything through the smoke. The only thing he could make out was…

"Robin…" he muttered slowly. "…Where did the city go?"

* * *

Zoro screamed. He screamed until his lungs ached. His arms burnt as he tried to heave the slab of stone off him. He couldn't see anything but dust and rubble. The dock was completely unrecognisable. With a final grunt, he managed to shove the huge stone debris to one side, staring at the devastated wasteland.

Half of Dock One had been turned into a crater. The other half had been scoured clean by an immense shockwave and then pulverised by tonnes of flying stone debris. The explosion had cracked the dock in half, and with most of the harbour falling into the ocean. Zoro couldn't even see the full extent of the damage, but it was bad.

"_Aisa!_" A voice bellowed furiously. Zoro turned to see Wiper stacking over the debris, eyes mad with panic. "_AISA!_"

Zoro tried to move, but he grimaced as his right leg seized up and locked. His whole body was raw and painful. He had to stagger over the uneven ground, threatening to trip at any moment. Zoro had taken some pretty powerful blows in his time, but _that_… that felt like a three kilometre-tall giant had stepped out of the sky and stomped straight into Water 7.

_What happened to the crowd?_ Zoro thought weakly, before glancing down at the pile of debris they were standing on. Everyone had been buried by the rubble, it was only him and Wiper who had been strong enough to dig themselves out again…

"_Oh dammit_," Zoro cursed. How many people had been in the Dock? A hundred? A thousand? How many were standing too close to the blast and how many were still alive, clinging on to life as the rubble slowly crushed them?

There was a huge crack of stone splitting. Zoro turned just to see a huge chunk of the corner of the dock give way and fall into the ocean. Zoro really didn't like the way the ground was still rumbling. He was sure that whole ground seemed distinctly tilted to one side.

_This whole dock could collapse at any moment_, Zoro realised. _No, it was more than that. Water 7 was essentially built on top of a sunken city as the waterline kept on rising, right? If an explosion like that damaged enough of the foundations, then…_

"The whole city might collapse," Zoro muttered darkly.

The crew. That was his priority right now. He had to make sure they were still alive.

"AISA!" Wiper screamed, clambering through the rocks, looking for sign of his ward. There were too many places a little girl could get trapped…

Zoro took a deep breath and forced himself to concentrate. The panic threatened to consume him, but Zoro couldn't risk losing focus. He needed a clear head. _Think, dammit!_ Zoro shouted mentally. _Where had everybody been standing before the explosion?_

Luffy had been next to the stage, closest to the epicentre than anyone, but he was also the most likely to survive by himself. Zoro thought he saw Nami leaving a bit early, so maybe she got out safe. Sanji had been at the banquet table, but that was on the other side of the dock. Chopper… well… Zoro had lost track of Chopper, but he suspected the doctor might have been with Carue. Robin hadn't been present. Vivi had been mingling in the crowd. Conis had definitely been playing with Aisa, and Zoro thought that maybe Tashigi had been nearby…

_How the hell am I meant to find them?_ Zoro cursed, looking around the piles of debris. He never even knew where he was.

_But maybe I don't have_ _to_…

The realisation came slowly. Zoro paused, forced the pain out his mind and tried to clear his head. Slowly, his hand dropped on to hilt of his sword, and he paused. _Listen to the breathing_… he thought silently.

It was the exactly the same as he did in Alabasta, only bigger. He had learnt how to listen to the flow of objects in order to cut steel, and now he had do the exact same thing again, just on a different scale.

_Maybe I've approaching Haki all wrong_, Zoro realised. _Maybe it's not something that I have to learn, maybe it's something I just need to _do_…_

_Focus_…

He cleared his mind. The pain, the worry was all immaterial. Zoro breathing was completely steady as he focused all of his concentration into an edge, and he tried to visualise swinging it towards his friends…

And suddenly he felt his mind cutting through all of the stone like a sword.

Zoro's eyes shot open. He gasped suddenly. No time to obsess over what just happened. "Over there!" He shouted loudly, pointing to a huge slab of stone stuck in the corner. "She's over there!"

Wiper turned and stared, but didn't question him. They were both charging towards the area instantly. The stone slab was absolutely huge, but together Zoro and Wiper grabbed it and hoisted it away with a single grunt. They were both clawing and digging their way through the debris, throwing boulders larger as if they were made of paper.

This was too close to the explosion, Zoro thought with sudden dread. _Could they really have survived that much of an impact?_

They tore through granite and steel debris, tearing what used to be a building support out of the way, until they encountered a huge, sudden wall of pink flesh.

Wiper's eyes bulged in shock. "Is that…?"

Zoro grinned. "That's a fucking elephant," he said happily, before screaming loudly. "Conis! Aisa! Tashigi!"

The elephant was a huge beast as large as a house, but must have died just about instantly from the tons of stone pulverising its body. Without hesitation, Zoro and Wiper each grabbed a stubby pink leg, and dragged the corpse out of the way with a grunt of exertion.

Just as the beast started to move, Zoro realised that someone else was pushing from the other side.

"Tashigi!" Zoro exclaimed in relief, rushing forward to drag the swordswoman out of the hole. Tashigi's eyes were dark and she was cradling her arm, but she looked alright. Next to her, Conis gasped weakly, her blond hair dark with dusk, but she was cradling a motionless Aisa in her arms.

Wiper's eyes filled with pure panic. "_Aisa!_"

"She's alright," Conis said quickly. "Just unconscious."

"Conis screamed in the explosion," Tashigi explained simply. "She screamed so loud she called an elephant, and that took the brunt of the blast for us."

Conis glanced mournfully at the dead, mangled body, but there was no time to pause. "Where are the others?" Conis asked urgently, glancing around the ruined dock.

"We need to find them, and quickly," Zoro explained, eyes flickering. _Who was next?_ _I'll search for Vivi next_, he decided.

Same thing, Zoro forced his body to relax, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He pictured Vivi as clear as day, her face, her clothes, her smell, and then he visualised what would be like to swing his mental sword towards her. The blade cut straight towards her.

Zoro opened his eyes and blinked. _Crap_, he thought urgently. _I should have done Vivi first._

Without a second's hesitation, Zoro turned and ran, completely ignoring the blinding pain in his leg. He sprinted straight towards the water, and dived into the overflown canal without a second thought. The others sprinted after him.

About five seconds later, he emerged from the water, clutching a still Vivi tightly. Her skin was cold and bone pale, and she wasn't moving.

"Please tell me someone here knows CPR!" Zoro shouted, charging back onto the dry ground.

"Give her here!" Tashigi shouted, as Zoro placed her back onto the ground. Quickly, Tashigi dropped down to her, applying chest compressions with a steady rhythm. For a few tense seconds, nothing happened. Then, water spluttered from her mouth and Vivi gasped for breath, eyes fluttering madly.

"It's alright, it's alright," Tashigi soothed, hugging her softly as she struggled to breathe.

They were all various states of shell-shocked. Conis looked like she was barely being held together.

"What the hell happened here?" Conis muttered, staring around the dust-filled ruins.

"The ship exploded," Zoro said darkly.

"What? Why?"

"Not a clue," Wiper snarled. He was still cradling Aisa protectively. "But _somebody_ is sure as hell going to die when I find out!"

Zoro was quiet. He was trying to focus on Chopper, Nami and Sanji, but he couldn't. Did his Haki have a range? Does that mean the others are far away? How far? _If only Aisa was awake, she's better than me at this_, he thought furiously.

"Come on," Zoro said coldly. "We've got find the others and get out of here."

There were screams in the distance. Zoro didn't know how far the blast radius spread, but judging by the devastation here, it was a quite a distance. There must be thousands of people injured or dead. _We need help, we need some sort of rescue operation…_

The first gunshot caused them all to freeze. Suddenly, a scream disappeared. It was followed by another gunshot, and then another, and then another.

Zoro clutched his swords tighter. "We need to find the others _right now_," he muttered slowly. Water 7 was not a safe place anymore. Perhaps it never was.

* * *

Nami growled as she limped through the devastated streets. She had been some distance away from the explosion and covered by a large building, but the shockwave still slammed her hard against the wall, and shard of rubble cut her skin. She had blacked out briefly, but regained consciousness just in time to see the huge mushroom cloud burst over the docks.

_What the hell happened?_ Nami gasped, struggling to move. She could feel the panic growing around her. Her eyes were still raw from crying so much. The break-up had felt devastating, but _this_…

Water started swirling into the alleyway. The canals had collapsed and the streets were flooding. In this distance, she saw smoke as buildings caught fire.

Nami had to waddle her way through the rising water. She was panicking by the time she reached the end of alleyway, only for her hit a huge chunk of rubble blocking her way. The water was up to her waist now.

"Damn!" Nami cursed, glaring at the rubble in her path. She _really_ didn't like the way everything seemed to be rumbling here and collapsing. The whole alleyway seemed to be sinking. Water 7 was made up of delicate little canal streets stacked on top of each other, and Nami wondered how well they'd stand up to a brute force impact.

"Hey!" A voice shouted from the other side suddenly. "I think someone's behind here!"

Nami's eyes widened. "Hey!" She shouted loudly, over the background dim. "I'm here!"

"Don't worry, we're here to help!" The voice called. She heard the sound a man clambering over the rubble on the other side. Suddenly, a face appeared on top of the debris; dark hair, chubby cheeks, innocent eyes. He was smiling as he threw a rope down to Nami. "There you go, climb on up."

She sighed, clutching the rope tightly. "Oh, thank you," she muttered, dragging herself upwards.

"Not a problem," the man said happily. "Say, are you one of the pirates?"

"Yes," Nami nodded, as she grit her teeth and struggled to find leverage on the slick rope.

"Oh, good – we've been looking for you!" He said brightly, flashing a toothy smile.

"Really?"

"Yep." Slowly the man took out a gun and pointed it downwards. "_You're_ worth a bonus."

Nami blinked. She was left staring straight upwards at the nozzle of a high-calibre pistol pointing at her forehead, as helpless as a fish in a barrel. The man was smiling even as she saw his fingers tightening on the trigger.

"NAMI!" A voice boomed violently, just as a figure leapt down from the rooftops, slamming straight on top of the would-be assassin. Sanji was there in an instant, crushing the man with a ferocious kick.

"More pirates!" Voices shouted from the street. There were more assassins. "Get them!"

Gunshots bounced off the walls. Sanji ducked down into the flooded alleyway, just as men on the rooftops took aim.

"You alright?" Sanji screamed, but the chef himself looked pretty tattered as well. His suit was in ruins.

Nami nodded, quickly dragging Sanji out of the way. They splashed through the water, even as the bullets bounced around them. There were lots of assassins – all of them well-armed and in position, ready and waiting on the roofs to cut down anyone fleeing the docks. _This was well-prepared_, she thought darkly.

"Move!" Nami shouted. She really wished that she hadn't left her Clima-Sword behind. At the time, she thought it would be impolite to go to a party carrying a huge blade. Bad decision, apparently.

Sanji grunted, his leg spinning and colliding against the wall with a shower of debris, forming an escape route into the tattered building. They dived in, listening to the shouts of assassins as they rushed to cut them off.

"They're everywhere," Sanji gasped, clutching his side tightly. He'd been injured in the explosion too.

"Somebody's trying really hard to kill us," Nami realised. "Did Galley-La set us up?"

Sanji shook his head. "I don't think so – they were shooting shipwrights as well."

"Then we've got to get out of here, quickly," Nami muttered, still breathing heavily.

"We've got the Going Merry still." Sanji sighed. "Let's find the others and get to the ship."

Nami bit her lip as doubt hit her. "There's one of us who won't be able to leave," she realised darkly.

Sanji's eyes widened. "Damn, _Usopp_…" He groaned. The sniper was still on life-support. Completely unconscious and vulnerable.

"They were hunting _us_," Nami said slowly. "What if they go to the hospital for Usopp as well?"

_Or what if the hospital was damaged in the explosion as well_? Nami thought grimly. _What were they going to do if the hospital collapsed and Usopp was left to die in the rubble as the machines broke?_

Sanji looked like he was having similar thoughts. "We need Chopper," Sanji decided firmly. "Get Chopper to the hospital, grab whatever drugs Usopp needs, and Chopper could keep him stable when we get to the Going Merry."

"Then you're going to have to go to the hospital straight away," Nami ordered. "I'll stay behind, try to find the others and find Chopper. We'll meet you there as soon as possible, but you need to be at the hospital to protect Usopp from assassins in the meantime."

Sanji shook his head. "I'm not leaving you here, there are–"

"Sanji!" Nami snapped. "Promise me you won't let anything happen to Usopp!"

His expression looked pained. "Fine, I swear it," he promised, glancing at her with worry. "But promise me you'll stay safe when I'm gone."

"Always," Nami said, forcing a bright smile. Smiling felt hard. "Now let's run!"

He nodded, glancing out into the street. There were assassins across the rooftop. They had set up barricades and they were lying in wait. Sanji wondered how long they had before the docks finally gave in and collapsed.

Nami paused. She could feel the ground rumbling and it made her uneasy. "Sanji…" She muttered slowly. "I think we have a problem…"

Sanji turned to stare. "Just the _one_?!"

"The Aqua Elevator," Nami muttered, pointing to the huge structure in the distance, the one connecting the upper and lower levels of Water 7. The giant sea lock was a towering structure of thousands of tons of water. "I think… I think it must have been damaged in the explosion. It doesn't look so stable anymore…"

Even as she stared, the massive stone structure seemed to almost flex under the pressure. _If the bottom supports are damaged_, Nami thought slowly, _the foundations break down, the canals collapse and more and more strain is put on the architecture_. If there was enough damage, everything starts to break down like a chain reaction.

Sanji stared. He slowly looked upwards towards the giant fountain sat atop the centre of Water 7. The enormous fountain looked distinctly… tilted.

"Um… what happens if the Aqua Elevator breaks?" He asked slowly.

Nami gulped. "Well, it's a sea lock. It maintains the different water levels. If it breaks, then all of the water on the top is going to come… well… _down_…"

They stared at each other, and then out over the city. A huge chunk of the city had been turned into a crater, Dock One had been obliterated, and the whole corner of the city was crumbling into dust. There were fires breaking out everywhere, the streets were flooding, armed assassins were hunting them and there was a giant ticking time-bomb counting down until a giant flood washed half of the city away.

"Let's run faster," Nami said definitely.

"Agreed."

Without hesitation, they both exploded from the building, with Sanji kicking through the wall so hard that bricks went flying straight towards the assassins. They opened fire instantly, but Nami and Sanji were already zig-zagging their way through the hail of bullets, rushing for cover. Feet pounded against the cracked pavement furiously.

The assassins were still shooting. There were lots of mercenaries, and they were all competing for the pirate's heads.

"Boss!" One of the men yelled across the rooftops. "They're getting away."

The boss slowly lit his cigar, grinning as he watched the smoke and destruction. He slowly adjusted his thick, circular glasses, eyes glinting in the darkness. He was a very old man and he had seen more than his fair share of mayhem, but this was still a good one. Gapopo had been paid very handsomely to ensure that no one on that very long list got out alive.

"Oh, that's alright, laddie," Gapopo muttered cheerfully, the grin growing across his wrinkled face. "The hunt is always more interesting when they're running."

* * *

He turned slowly towards his men. The mercenaries were all armed and waiting. "Let's get to work," Gapopo said brightly.

Wiper staggered as he clambered over the debris, staring out over the city. This close to the blast, it could hardly even be called a city. He was sure that the water level was rising. It was either that or the ground was sinking.

To his shame, he had left his bazooka behind. Nami had yelled at him when he tried to bring the gun to the party. Wiper had just _known_ he would regret that decision.

They were all battered, and in no state to fight. They didn't even know who they were fighting. Right now, they just had to find the others and run.

"What's happening?" Zoro demanded, still limping behind slightly as he kept on trying to focus. His Haki was so inconsistent that he could barely even use it. It was like he had a broken switch in his head that was flicking on and off inconsistently.

There were still gunshots, and they were moving closer steadily. There weren't so many screams anymore, but in the smoke there was absolutely nothing they could do to help anyone. Wiper's jaw clenched; he had been on the hunt enough times himself to know this tactic.

Somebody had set up a perimeter up and they were steadily closing the net. They were being _hunted_.

That meant the only way out was if they fought their way through. "Everybody get ready!" Wiper bellowed. "We've got company!"

Zoro clutched his swords, staring out over the fog. Next to him, Tashigi drew hers and stepped by his side. Visibility was still terrible.

In the distance, there was a distinct thunk. Tashigi's eyes widened. She recognised that sound. The sound of something heavy being loaded.

"Everyone take cover!" Tashigi bellowed, just as a blur shot towards him. The pirates scattered, and an object flew by Zoro and crashed into the ground behind him.

The explosion took them all to their knees. There were more 'thunks' as more weapons were loaded.

"They've got grenade launchers," Zoro realised dumbly. He snarled. "Well, _of course_ they've got bloody _grenade launchers_!"

"_Everyone run!_" Tashigi ordered, and suddenly the pirates were sprinting across the field of stone debris as the grenades and bullets launched everyone.

Ahead, Wiper bellowed furiously, kicking his Jet Skis into action as he soared straight into the centre of the crowd. Tashigi was rushing to cover while Vivi was sticking closely with Conis and Aisa. Zoro lost track of them as grenade came so close that his head started spin.

Dust and smoke went everywhere. _They're trying to separate us_, Zoro realised suddenly. Scatter the prey and pick them off one by one. He tried to yell, but his voice could barely be heard over the gunfire.

"Conis!" Tashigi ordered loudly. "Take Aisa and run! Get out of here! Vivi, you're with me!"

Vivi nodded, charging into the field and firing off blade of sands blindly into the fog. Conis gulped, her face still pale, but then she cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed; a low, guttural bawl vaguely like a whinny. It took Vivi a few seconds to recognise the call, just as a monstrously fat hippopotamus came out of nowhere, stomping through the battlefield on stubby legs.

"You can call a _hippo_?" Vivi shouted, impressed.

"I was trying to call a horse," Conis admitted weakly, but clutching Aisa tightly and clambering onto the hippo's back anyways. Before she was even ready, the hippo was charging again, barrelling out of the battlefield with unstoppable momentum.

The battle exploded. Wiper was at the front of the ground, tearing through the ranks with his bare hands, but the mercenaries had the better position and better firepower. Within seconds, Wiper was bleeding from dozens of bullet wounds and even took a grenade to the chest, but he was still charging through them. He tore a grenade launcher out of assassin's hand, using the weapon to give enough suppressing fire for Zoro and Tashigi to enter the fray.

The mercenaries were good – they handled themselves well, but the pirates were angry. Still, quickly Zoro realised that they were all trying to avoid a direct fight, instead using their numbers and keeping their distance to shoot at them from all directions. He didn't even know how many enemies there were.

Zoro grunted as he slashed down furiously with all three blades. There were screams as the flying slashes took down three mercenaries at once.

"Oh my," A pleasant voice chuckled from the smoke. "It looks like we've got some strong ones here. Everyone hold their fire."

The shooting stopped. Tashigi and Vivi were by Zoro's side as he glared furiously at the shapes in the smoke. Wiper looked absolutely feral with rage. One by one, the mercenaries in the smoke holstered their weapons.

An old man stepped towards Zoro, smiling with zero concern. He was absolutely ancient; he looked over ninety years old with a plump body, short legs, and thick, bookish glasses, but there was something in his smirk that put Zoro on edge.

"Evening, chaps," the old man greeted casually.

He was flanked by three other figures. One of them was tall and thin and flamboyantly dressed, a bright smile growing across his face. The other was a morbidly obese man with stubby limbs and very tight clothes, and the final was lean girl, flat-chested with short blonde hair and a stony expression.

"Who the hell are you working for and why are we trying to kill us?" Zoro demanded.

The flamboyant man barked loudly. "Don't take it too personally! It's just a job, you know?"

Zoro's hands clenched. The old man smiled; he looked like a sweet old grandpa, but there was something sinister underneath that smile. "Ah, where are my manners?" He mused. "Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Gapopo Igasugamer, and may I present my companions – Bobo, Bourin, and, of course, the sweet Biyunka. We are the mercenaries that will have the pleasure of murdering you this evening."

Bobo waved and bowed theatrically, but his hand was on the short sword on his belt. Biyunka didn't even twitch. Tashigi frowned.

"…Gapopo…" Tashigi muttered. The name rang a bell. "I've heard of you. That means that this is the Lily Funeral Mercenary Band, isn't it?"

Gapopo's grin widened. "Ah, a fan. I'm honoured."

"Who are they?" Zoro demanded, not taking his eyes off the enemies.

"Killers for hire," Tashigi replied grimly. "That man, Gapopo, apparently he's been murdering and killing for over ninety years."

"Ninety years?" The old man mused. "My, how the time flies."

Zoro glanced between Tashigi, Vivi and Wiper. None of them were at their best, but they weren't out for the count either. Wiper could take the fat guy, Tashigi could handle the tall guy with the sword, Vivi would be fine for the stony girl. The leader might be old, but Zoro really didn't like his smile, so Zoro would take care of him. Four vs four. Zoro liked those odds.

Gapopo must have been having the same thought. His grin widened. "Ah, but, my son," Gapopo said cheerfully. "We're _mercenaries_. We don't fight fair."

He motioned at Biyunka briefly. "Go kill the girl and little kid first," Gapopo ordered coolly.

"Right away," Biyunka grunted, instantly turning to one side and running in the direction where Conis and Aisa had disappeared.

Wiper's eyes widened in shock. "Don't you dare!" He roared, kicking his Jet Skis into action as he charged after Biyunka.

In a fluid motion, Biyunka twisted around a lashed at him with a swift kick, knocking Wiper to the ground. The raider snarled, but Biyunka's feet rippled and morphed, her slender feet twisting and transforming into circular wheels that skidded across the ground.

_Devil fruit_, Wiper cursed, chasing after. In an instant Biyunka was already skating across the ground on her wheeled feet.

Zoro snarled and readied his blades. "Bourin," Gapopo ordered, his pleasant smile not even wavering. "Why don't you go to the hospital? Pay their injured friend a _visit_."

"Yes boss," Bourin muttered, turning around and stomping in the other direction.

"Usopp!" Vivi shouted in panic.

"Get back here, you bastard!" Zoro growled, charging straight at the retreating Bourin. Usopp was defenceless. Before Zoro could even get close, Bobo was there in an instant, blocking all three of Zoro's swords with his short sword. His long limbs were dancing as he grinned at Zoro.

"You want to dance, pretty boy?" Bobo taunted with a maniac smile. Zoro growled, unleashing a furious flurry of three-bladed strikes. Bobo parried or dodged every single one.

Tashigi grit her teeth, charging straight towards Gapopo. "Then _you're_ mine!" She growled, slashing her sword downwards in a huge arc.

The old man didn't even try to dodge. She felt her blade jerk as it sliced cleanly through his waist, and Tashigi grunted in satisfaction. Still, Gapopo didn't even twitch and suddenly he was there, catching her by surprise as he knocked the sword out of her hand and grabbed her by the throat.

Tashigi gasped. For all the man was old, his grip was like iron. _What was going on?_ Tashigi thought in shock. _That slash should have cut his insides open!_

"Sorry," Gapopo said with a bright smile, lifting up his other hand and pointing a pistol straight at her chin as he strangled the life out of her.

"Tashigi!" Vivi screamed, firing a swirling blade of sand straight at Gapopo. It took the old man by surprise. The blade of sand should have cleaved straight through his skull and for a second, Tashigi could have sworn that it did, but then the next second Gapopo was standing there completely unharmed.

The distraction was enough for Tashigi to break free. She barely managed to squirm out of his chokehold before Gapopo's fist embedded itself in her chest. The blow sent Tashigi dropping to the ground, gasping for breath.

"How annoying…" Gapopo mused. "All of the pretty girls are ganging up on me."

He motioned to the other mercenaries still standing in the smoke, clutching grenade launchers. "Everybody!" Gapopo ordered. "Load up your Seastone rounds and focus on the blue-haired girl over there!"

Vivi's face paled. She barely had time to dive to cover before the explosion rocked overhead. The assassins were focusing on her know, and she could barely even see where they were through all the dust. _If they had Seastone ammunition…_ Vivi gulped with the thought.

Tashigi tried to clamber upwards. She barely even managed to stagger to her knees before suddenly Gapopo kicked her in the head so hard she blacked out. The mercenaries were crowding around Vivi, while Zoro was still trading blows with Bobo in a flurry of strikes.

"Bobo!" Gapopo called, already walking away and leaving Tashigi in the dust. "I'll leave it to you to handle this situation."

"Right-o!" Bobo laughed cheerfully. Zoro roared in anger at the casual response and slashed and hacked more furiously, but the slender man just danced backwards around every blow. "Where are you going, boss?"

Gapopo chuckled. "Well, while you kids are having fun," he said jauntily. "I figured I should go and take care of a certain Monkey D. Luffy."

* * *

Wiper's Jet Skis were out of juice, and this girl was fast. Her feet had transformed into furiously spinning disks that let her roller-skate across the ground, and Wiper couldn't keep up. He was still exhausted, and his legs were screaming as he sprinted after her.

_Still, if she managed to reach Aisa first_…

The thought was the only thing powering him forward.

"Stay still and fight like a man!" Wiper roared, as she leapt straight over a pile of rubble without even slowing down.

Biyunka's face didn't even twitch. "I'm not a man," she said simply, before twisting around so she was roller-skating backwards.

In smooth motion, she dropped down and lightly touched a boulder, instantly transforming the solid rock into a spinning disk that shot straight towards Wiper. The raider barely managed to duck as the spinning rock went flying over his head, but then there were suddenly dozens of spinning projectiles launching towards him.

_Bloody Devil fruit powers_, Wiper snarled. Everything from pebbles to boulders the size of horses twirled and transformed into spinning wheels as soon as she touched them. The pebbles were so fast he could barely see them, while the boulders crunched with slow, unstoppable momentum. Wiper could barely dodge them all in time, but it was enough for her to gain more of a lead.

_If I had my bazooka, or even only my spear_, Wiper thought furiously, _then this would be a very different fight_. As it was, he was trying to face an opponent with weird abilities, while unarmed, injured and at a disadvantage.

Still, Wiper couldn't afford to pause. In a second, he was sprinting full speed, running so fast his body burnt. In the distance, he heard the distinct grunting of a hippo bursting through the terrain, just as he saw Biyunka disappear around the corner. They had caught up.

"AISA!" Wiper screamed, desperately trying to pound forward.

Conis and Aisa were riding through the shattered remains of what used to be a warehouse. Conis jumped as she glimpsed Biyunka barrelling towards them. Aisa was awake, eyes wide and fearful. "Wiper!" Aisa shouted, even though he was still out of sight.

In an instant, Biyunka's arms transformed into a series of spinning disks, whirling ferociously like a buzz saw. Conis, to her credit, was alert in a second, with a Dial in hand as she pushed Aisa out of the way and kicked the hippo to change direction.

Biyunka's arm collided against the Axe Dial and halted, clearly shocking her. Biyunka was too fast and Conis was outmatched, yet Conis still didn't let that hold her back. Conis whistled sharply, and suddenly an owl appeared out of nowhere, blinding Biyunka and taking her by surprise.

Biyunka dropped backwards, while Conis slammed the fully-charged Axe Dial straight into her face. Wiper appeared just in time, and, for a second, wondered if maybe Conis didn't need any help at all.

"I'm sorry," Conis whispered softy, just as she triggered the Dial.

But then Biyunka's whole body twisted. In less than a second, Biyunka's body contorted unnaturally and Conis was left firing the Axe Dial and nothing but air.

_She used her powers to transform her waist into a wheel_, Wiper realised instantly, _to twist out of the way of the Axe Dial_. Conis had lost her brief advantage and she wouldn't get another one.

Biyunka's torso twisted around 360 degrees and she slashed her arm towards Conis and Aisa in a ferocious strike. Conis barely managed to push Aisa off the hippo to safely, but the blow still sent Conis flying onto the ground.

The huge hippo finally reared around and tried to charge at Biyunka. In a smooth motion, Biyunka pounded her foot on the ground and suddenly a circle appeared in the stone pavement that twisted like a turntable. The hippo's stubby legs lost their footing and its huge body collapsed to the ground.

The whole fight was over in about five seconds. _Damn, she _was_ fast_.

But Wiper had a chance, enough time to clear the gap. Suddenly, he was leaping towards her with a ferocious aerial kick, firing off the last reserves of his Jet Skis for that final boost. Biyunka's eyes widened in shock, and she barely managed to raise her buzz saw blades to defend against the kick. Sparks flew as Wiper's Jet Skis collided against the buzz saws. She blocked it, but the impact still dropped her to her knees.

"I know your powers now," Wiper growled. "With the exception of your own body, you can only transform inorganic objects into wheels, right?"

"True," Biyunka muttered coldly. "Shame those shoes of yours aren't organic, hmm?"

Wiper's eyes widened in shock, but it was too late. His Jet Skis rippled and twisted, transforming into buzzing wheels still attached to his feet. Wiper grunted as he felt the wheels grind against his ankles like sandpaper.

There was no way he could balance while wearing madly spinning shoes. Wiper tripped to the ground, and instantly Biyunka was lashing out with a spinning kick. Biyunka caught the blow, but it still sent him crashing backwards.

His Jet Skis tore his fingers as he had to drag them off his feet. Wiper's eyes were red with fury. "I will tear you apart!" He roared furiously, fists clenching.

Biyunka nodded. "I believe you," she agreed. "I don't think I would have been able to beat you normally. You're too strong, too angry, and I'm out of tricks."

Wiper's blood turned cold. Biyunka suddenly grabbed Aisa off the ground, and held her buzz saw arms right next to the little girl's throat. Aisa looked absolutely terrified as the woman held her roughly by the hair, spinning blades centimetres away from her throat.

Biyunka's eyes were merciless. "But let me show you how a _real_ mercenary fights."

Wiper's hands clenched so tightly that his fingernails drew blood. "_Don't you dare_," he snarled with pure, undiluted bloodlust. "_If you hurt her I will hurt you more than anyone has ever, ever been hurt!_"

"What happens to the little girl is entirely up to you," Biyunka said coldly. "I want you to pick up one of those spinning disks and slice your own throat open – otherwise I'm going to slice this girl's throat open instead."

* * *

There were people rushing around the streets in pure panic. Even away from the docks, the entire city could feel the ground rumbling and the houses collapsing. Debris had been scattered for miles every direction, the ash and smoke still clouded the air, and half of the city was burning.

But the hospital was the worst of it all, and that was been five miles away from Dock One. The tall, once elegant building had been hit by a boulder the size of a house, and the wards were collapsing. The building was barely standing anymore, and the courtyard had been a frenzy of people trying to evacuate any patients they could.

Of course, during any emergency, people always flocked to the hospital. The mercenaries had known that too – that's why they had a team of assassins based near the emergency entrance, just waiting.

By the time Bourin reached the devastated building, the courtyard looked like a warzone. There were bodies scattered across the street. Some had run, but the mercenaries had been ruthless.

Water 7 was facing its biggest and most horrifying disaster ever. Without any emergency response, medical facilities, or coordinated recovery, the causalities would skyrocket.

_The client had paid for a massacre_, Bourin thought with a mental shrug. The professional mercenaries had simply delivered.

There were more mercenaries scattered around the courtyard, all of them well-armed and tense. Bourin frowned. "What the hell are you doing out here?" The fat man demanded. "You had orders to secure the _building_!"

One of the mercenaries gulped. "We tried, sir, but… well…" the man stammered. "…we've got a complication…"

"Hi there!" A voice shouted coldly from the distance. "My name is '_Mr_ _Complication_'."

Bourin turned and glared. Sanji was standing squarely in their path, blocking the main entrance to the hospital. The chef angrily dropped his cigarette to the ground, glaring furiously at Bourin. A lot of the bodies in the courtyard were of mercenaries, Bourin realised. Sanji had been putting up quite a fight.

The chef was shirtless, his chest bruised and burnt, but there was absolutely no sign of retreat in his gaze. Bourin cracked his knuckles as the fat man staggered towards the main entrance. The ground shuddered as he jumped down from a piece of debris.

"Hello there, Mr Complication," Bourin muttered dryly. Around him, the remained mercenaries loaded their weapons. "Is there a reason you're standing in my men's way?"

"Yes," Sanji growled, stomping on the butt of his cigarette. "But _it's_ _complicated_."

Bourin grunted. "Hardly." He took another step closer. There were perhaps a hundred feet between them. "You're a pirate aren't you? 'Black Leg' Sanji. Your name's on my list. So I'm guessing you're standing there to try and protect your poor hospitalised friend." His beady eyes narrowed and he smirked. "Why don't you come over here so we can talk about?"

Sanji didn't move. He was no fool. Right now, standing in the main entrance was the only cover he had from the mercenaries' heavy weapons. If they tried to shoot at him, he could easily take cover. If they tried to rush him, then they'd have to come into close quarters, practically single file.

_I've got to hold them here_, Sanji thought furiously, glaring at the remaining men, trying to count their numbers. The other entrances were blockaded. There was only way in or out of the hospital and Sanji was guarding it. If Sanji left and even one man managed to slip by him, then that man could easily make his way up to Usopp's room and shoot him while the marksman was comatose.

Many of the other patients and staff had fled, but Usopp was on life-support and couldn't be moved. There were other doctors, nurses and patients that had taken refuge in the hospital's basement, but, so far as Sanji knew, Usopp was the only one still left in the wards. Thankfully, Usopp's room had been untouched in the explosion, but the building itself was barely standing up straight.

The situation was bad. Sanji might have had a good position, but he was also trapped in that position. If the battle went on too long, Usopp could run out of medicine and die with no one around him while Sanji was stuck here trying to hold them off. Or maybe the building would finally collapse. Or maybe the sea lock would break and the whole lower city would flood…

Sanji's hands clenched. Focusing on the negatives didn't help anyone. _I don't have to _beat_ them_, Sanji thought firmly. _I've just got to hold them back until reinforcements arrive_.

"I think I'll stay here actually," Sanji replied coolly, lighting another cigarette. "You know, you've got to respect the hospital's designated smoking zones…"

"Hm." Bourin's brow furrowed. His eyebrows looked like two fat slugs chasing each other. "Well, that put us at a bit of a conundrum, doesn't it?"

"Then why don't you come over here and try to _simplify_ things, fatty?" Sanji taunted.

"Fatty?" Bourin snorted. "Was that supposed to be an insult, skinny legs?"

"Try me," Sanji said coldly, taking a deep breath of his cigarette. "You want to test how skinny my legs are?"

"Hmph. Is this the point where I'm supposed to walk over there and face you in an epic one on one battle, with the fate of all those innocent lives hanging in the balance?" Bourin said sarcastically. "…Yeah, I think I have a better idea."

Sanji's eyes narrowed. The fat man just smirked as he turned to one of the other mercenaries. "You there!" Bourin demanded hoarsely. "You've been to Water 7 before, right? What floor is the intensive care unit on?"

The man gulped, blinking in surprise. "Umm…" He stammered nervously. "Fourth floor, I think…"

"Then what the hell are you boys waiting for?" Bourin ordered loudly, motioning at the assembled mercenaries as he pointed at the towering hospital. "Pick up your guns, take aim, and fire at the bloody fourth floor!"

Sanji's eyes widened in shock. There was no way he could stop them from shooting at a target as large as the building. "Don't you dare!" Sanji snarled ferociously. "_I'm_ your opponent here!"

The man snorted. "You're not my opponent, you're my _annoyance_. My job is to kill pirates, so let's start with the easiest one." Bourin said derisively, before glaring at the other mercenaries. "Come on, hurry it up already! You've got grenade launchers, don't you? Let's bring this building _down!_"

There was the sound of two dozen heavy weapons being loaded. Sanji charged out of the entrance into the courtyard, before pausing suddenly. He could feel the dread dripping over him. The hospital was barely still upright. All it would take was one good explosion and everything could come down.

_Usopp_… Sanji thought with panic. The mercenaries were too widely spread, and he didn't have any long-range weapons. Even if Sanji could take a couple down, the others would have a clear shot at the building. Hell, they _all_ had a clear shot at the building. It was a huge building.

There was absolutely no way that Sanji could protect something like that from men with large guns. There was no way he could protect his friend. The very thought made Sanji's blood run cold.

Bourin's smirk was vicious. The other mercenaries all stepped forward, forming a wide arc, their guns pointing upwards. "What's the matter, tough guy? He taunted, cracking his knuckles slowly. He raised his hand. "What are you going to do now?"

Sanji couldn't reply. His eyes widened in horror as he watched Bourin's hand come down.

"_FIRE!_"

* * *

"Robin…" Luffy gasped weakly, still struggling through breath. His body was numb and he couldn't feel all the damage, but he knew it was there. The Seastone splinters went deep into his back, despite Robin's best attempts at pulling them out. "…Where… where are the others?"

Her lips pursued. They were hidden in the empty shell of what used to be a building. The explosion obliterated the floors, the contents and half of the walls of the building, but somehow the structure itself still stood; a small shelter of scorched stone and rubble.

"I don't know," Robin admitted quietly. As far as she could see, which wasn't far due to the ash and smoke, the city was in shambles.

She had glimpsed some more survivors, limping away pale-faced and scattered, but she had no idea how many. She had even seen a group of citizens trying to excavate the rubble, but the recovery effort was shambled and scarce.

Most people were too busy hiding from the hired killers roaming the wreckage to help any survivors.

Robin was left staring at a smoking, crumbling pile of debris and death, and, suddenly, it was like her childhood all over again.

The memory of Ohara had never been so vivid for her.

Luffy couldn't sense anyone. His head was reeling so badly he couldn't even remember what it felt like to use Haki. Vaguely, Luffy remembered how Enel had lost focus and slowly lost his Mantra the longer their fight went on, and the more the injuries started to get to him. The pain and doubt was blocking it, stopping him from sensing anything.

The loss of an ability that Luffy had gotten so accustomed to was crippling. He hadn't even realised how temperamental his Haki really was.

"…We've got to help them…" Luffy panted, struggling to stay conscious. Robin had bandaged him up and tried her best, but the shock and impact were still taking their toll. "…We've got to get to them…"

His eyes were flickering. There were still some Seastone splinters in his back, continually draining his strength. Robin was there, holding his hand tightly.

"Somethings you can't help," Robin whispered, tears swelling up her eyes.

_I can't help that I'm cursed_, Robin thought weakly. _I can't help that everyone I love suffers for it_.

_I'm so sorry, Luffy; I should have tried harder not to love you_.

Luffy just shook his head weakly, even as he felt himself falling into unconsciousness. "…You…" He muttered quietly. "…You always help…"

It took a few minutes for him to pass out. Robin took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and clenched her fists, and then treated his wounds. She paused quietly, before slowly bending over to kiss him on the lips. She tried to convince herself she was just checking to see if he was still breathing.

_Our very first kiss_, Robin recalled slowly, _had been when he was unconscious and I was treating his wounds, in the ruins of a sabotaged city, when everything was covered in dust and crumbling away_.

It felt weirdly right that their last kiss would be in the exact same circumstances.

Robin had to move. The government would be looking for her again, and she had to be well away from Luffy before they found her. She couldn't let him be caught up in it again.

Robin knew how Lucci worked. The man liked to give his prey a chance a running, but he would always come back. Lucci was as ruthless as a wild animal when it came to the hunt.

"I'm sorry, Luffy," Robin whispered, standing up slowly. She had breathe deeply, close her eyes and focus before gathering up the strength to walk away.

The sound of chuckling caused her blood to freeze.

A man was walking straight towards her, limping, slightly hunchbacked. It was a man so old he looked like a skeleton.

"Ah…" the old man muttered wistfully. He was very softly spoken. "Young love. How sweet."

Robin glared. The old man was bald and heavily wrinkled. He smiled softly, but his eyes were sharp and cold. His face looked like a dead mask tightened across a skull. He was short, slightly potbellied with stubby legs, and he wore a shapeless grey suit overcoat. Still, he most definitely wasn't here to help. There was no hint of worry, fear or concern as he strolled through the smoking rubble.

"Who are you?" Robin demanded, fists clenching.

"Evening, my dear," he said politely, tilting his head. "My name is Gapopo, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about the famous Nico Robin."

"You're here to kill me," Robin said simply. It wasn't a question.

Gapopo's smile widened. "Alas, no," he admitted. "I'm afraid we do have a bit of an awkward situation here. You see, _you're_ not on the list at all, however, you're sleeping friend over there, well, _he's_ at the very top of the list."

Gapopo pointed to Luffy apologetically. The pirate was out-cold. Robin's face was stiff.

"So then," Gapopo said cheerfully. "If you could just move to one side, let me kill him, and then we'll both be on our merry way."

Her eyes were dark. "No," Robin growled. "I won't let you hurt him."

If they had come for her she wouldn't have protested, but not Luffy. Never Luffy.

"Shame," Gapopo mused, scratching his head. "I don't suppose we could settle this over a friendly game of dominoes, hmm?" He asked hopefully.

Robin's hands were fists. All of the emotion, all of that worry, that pain, that anguish, she could feel it pounding through her body as pure rage.

"I'll take that as a 'no', then." Gapopo sighed.

"You're not a government agent," Robin snarled. "Who do you work for?"

"Just a freelancer," Gapopo said with a shrug.

"Mercenary." She said the word like a curse. "You murdered all of those people."

Gapopo smirked. "That's kind of the job." He slowly reached into his coat pocket. Robin glimpsed the handle of a gun. "You see, I–"

There was no hesitation. As soon as she saw the gun, her hands were moving on reflux. Gapopo didn't even have time to blink as suddenly there were arms sprouting up from the ground around him, wrapping around his waist, shoulders and neck in the blink of an eye.

Robin's hands clenched. The arms suddenly snapped, yanking Gapopo backwards with bone shattering force. She didn't hear his back break, but suddenly he was twisted around backwards like a rag doll.

When she heard the voice, Robin twitched. "Damn it," Gapopo sighed despondently. "You just _had_ to go for the back, didn't you?"

With a creak, the old man slowly pulled himself straight, wincing slightly as his hips clicked into place. Robin's eyes widened, she slowly took a step back, cautiously.

"_What_ are you?" She demanded, glaring at the old man flexing his shoulders as if nothing had happened.

"I'm a hundred and three years old," Gapopo said with a soft smile, slowly taking off his glasses and wiping the lenses. "And there's a reason I've lived so long, kid."

Robin glared, carefully dropping into a fighting stance as she raised her arms. Gapopo slowly raised his hands above his head, palms open, innocently.

"Now hold on there," Gapopo said softly. "Let's cool things back a bit and talk about this sensibly, hmm?"

She didn't respond. Gapopo sighed. "…What we have here, I think, is a matter of simple benefit and risk. I am a great believer that before every confrontation, everyone should pause and think to themselves 'what am I actually gaining from this?'" His voice was soothing and calm. "If you then compare that to what you might lose, and, well, maybe a fight isn't always in your best interests, hmm?"

He kept his hands up the air, not even twitching. "For example…" The old man continued casually. "For me, that question is simple – I'm gaining a shitload of money for killing that kid over there." Robin's eyes narrowed. "That's my benefit. But for you? Well, forgive me for asking, but what are you actually gaining here?"

The air was quiet. Gapopo slowly motioned to the ruined city. "Look around," he said simply. "This place is already lost. The rest of your crew is being killed as we speak. We've got the docks locked down, no ship is ever going to be leaving this place, and you can sure as hell bet that the government will be here pretty damn quickly. Now, even on the _off-chance_ that you might win this battle and stop me from killing him now, there's still no way that he's ever going to be leaving this island alive."

There was a slight twitch in Robin's gaze. Gapopo noticed it. "As soon as my employers blame what happened here on you pirates, that kid there is going straight to public enemy number one," Gapopo said, almost whispering. "There's no saving him now."

"…No…" Robin muttered slowly, hands trembling. "It was the _government_ that did this…"

"And what will the world believe? With the choice between the wanted pirate 'The Devil' Luffy, or the World Government – the ones who _rushed_ to the aid of Water – then who is going to get the blame? Hell, it was _your_ ship that exploded. Yeah, I don't think anyone is going to be buying your side of the story…" Gapopo replied smoothly, a faint smile on his lips. "There's nothing for you to gain fighting here."

He paused for a moment. "On the other hand… just think of how much better your life would be if you took the opportunity here and now to run, gain a bit of head start, and maybe get away from those that you know are chasing you? I'll even say that I never saw you nor which direction you ran in, I swear that on my dear mother's grave. I've got no benefit with making trouble with you."

Robin didn't say a word. Gapopo slowly took a step forward, his hands still in the air. "Now then… with those two options in mind… there's just one question that I want to ask you to really think about…"

His voice was low. His eyes were vicious. "Are you really _sure_ that you want to fight with me?"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**This chapter and the next were originally meant to be combined into one, but then the chapter ended as over twenty thousand words. Honestly, even ten thousand words is probably too much, I just couldn't post one twice that size. So I figured I had to split them up into two. I restructured it to fit, but I'm still not happy with it; it feels like this chapter is all set-up and the next is all fight.**

**Still, same as previously, it's pretty unfair to make you wait two weeks for content that I planned to have posted now. The next chapter will be posted in 24 hours time, just to give me enough time for some last minute changes.**

**Next time: 'How Very Mercenary of You, Part 2'...**


	38. Chapter 38: How Very Mercenary, Part 2

**Nine Minutes**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I've recently sent Oda a firmly-worded letter explaining that One Piece now belongs to me. He hasn't replied yet, but I'm legally-entitled to take lack of objection as agreement, right?**

* * *

**Previously:**

**Water 7 is ruined and on the brink of collapse. ****The Lily Funeral Mecenary Band is**** roaming the streets gunning down any possible dissenters, but the pirates have been targeted worse than anyone. Zoro faces off against the flamboyant Bobo with Tashigi and Vivi caught the crossfire. Wiper rushes to save Aisa, who's been taking hostage by the stoic Biyunka, threatening to murder her unless Wiper kills himself. In the distance, Sanji attempts to keep Usopp alive by protected the ruined hospital, only be to besieged by Bourin and his armed men.**

**Meanwhile, Robin tries to save the wounded Luffy's life, only to encounter the ancient mercenary leader Gapopo, who gives her an ultimatum: run or die.**

* * *

**Chapter 38: How Very Mercenary of You, Part 2**

* * *

It sounded like a warzone. The ground was still rumbling, a deep bass quaking in the background, mixed with the sharp timbre of the city crumbling, piece by piece. The explosions, screams and gunfire were like crescendo that only ever seemed to increase, while the shrill clashes of swords were spiked through it. It was so chaotic that Zoro could barely keep track of it, yet he was a swordsman; he was focused solely on the fight in front of him.

But it was the sound of laughter that felt like nails over a chalkboard. It was a high, yippy, boisterous laughter that sent Zoro into a rage.

"Yohohohoho!" Bobo screamed happily, body flexing between sword strikes. "Oh, how scary, this guy is going to kill me! Yohohoho!"

Zoro's hands clenched around his blades. "Shut up and fight properly!" The swordsman growled, his swords flashing furiously. All three of them were barely visible as they cut and sliced through the air. The ground was littered with sword strikes.

Yet Bobo didn't even try to fight back. Bobo's sword was short with a broad handle and a wicked curved black blade with serrated edges, short enough that looked like a dagger in his long arms, but he barely even used it. He had only actually parried half a dozen blows the entire battle.

Instead, Bobo would dance backwards, avoiding every strike of Zoro. The pirate was faster and stronger, but the mercenary was nimble with long limbs and a flexible body, and he kept his distance. Zoro was forced to have to keep on charging more and more aggressively, waiting for Bobo to slip up, but the man never did. His body was as flexible as a snake when it came to avoiding Zoro's slashes.

"Fight? Me?" Bobo laughed furiously, smile stretching over his face. "Oh no! I'm a _lover_, not a fighter, you know?"

"And you call yourself a mercenary!" Zoro snarled, releasing a flying slash at him. The man bent over backwards to avoid the blow.

"Meh, mercenary, _assassin_…" Bobo mused, still chuckling. "Why does everyone have to put labels on things, you know?"

The man was more like a clown than an assassin. Everything about him was flamboyant, from his colourful hair, to his extravagant, flabby clothes that barely seemed to fit him. It was a wonder the man never tripped over as he danced backwards across the uneven rubble. The man was good at avoiding attacks, at the very least.

Still, Zoro was dominating the battle. Bobo couldn't match him in any proper swordfight. Around him, Tashigi was still unconscious after Gapopo put her down quickly, while Vivi was facing off against the crowd of mercenaries. The mercenaries were well-organised and well-armed, and between the use of smoke bombs and the threat of Seastone grenades they had managed to push the Logia back into a corner with pure tactics.

But Vivi was still holding her own. She couldn't even see her attackers through her the smoke and her sand attacks were mostly useless, but at the same time she could defend against grenades with a wall of sand. Vivi was keeping the other mercenaries occupied, leaving Zoro to fight against Bobo uninterrupted.

With Bobo constantly stepping backwards and Vivi retreating for cover, the two fights were slowly moving apart from each other. _All I have to do is finish this guy off_, Zoro thought determinedly. _He'll slip up, and I'll cut him in half. Once I'm free, I can cut through those other guys and Vivi will finish them off_. The mercenaries were relying on numbers and suppressing fire against the Logia Devil fruit; they could never stand up for long once Zoro attacked from the opposite direction, close range.

"You're a disgrace to wield a sword," Zoro grunted, slashing so close that he cut open Bobo's baggy shirt, but just missed the stomach. _Nearly_, Zoro thought viciously.

"Oh, I don't know about _that_," Bobo taunted. There was a sharp glint in his eyes. "Mercenaries do keep tricks hidden up their sleeves, you know?"

Zoro knew this trick. Bobo was trying to keep on moving backwards, taunting Zoro to attack more aggressively. If Zoro ever did trip up or leave his guard open, doubtlessly that short black sword would come darting at him at the blink of the eye. Act passive, play the fool, and wait for an opportunity. It was a common tactic used against superior opponents.

But Zoro refused to fall for it. Despite his speed, every slash was measured and guarded, his eyes constantly alert for any sudden counterattack. In terms of swordsmanship, Zoro could take him. The only concern that Zoro had to be careful was if…

"That woman," Zoro muttered. "She transformed her feet into wheels. She had a Devil fruit."

"Yep," Bobo agreed. "Biyunka ate the Disk Disk fruit. She can turn anything into disks."

"And that old man," Zoro said slowly. "Tashigi's cut didn't hurt him. He had some power."

"Gapopo?" Bobo mused, wide grin stuck on his face. "Gapopo is… _special_."

Zoro paused. His eyes flickering over Bobo, measuring his posture carefully

"Are you holding back?" Bobo mused. He burst laughing "Yoho! Oh, I see. You're worried in case I ate a Devil fruit and I'm waiting for an opportunity to reveal it. Well, don't fret! Me, I like swimming, you know?"

Zoro grunted. "If you've got no power, then you're just a completely mediocre swordsman that I'm going to kill."

Bobo grinned brightly. "You're a cruel guy, you know?"

Zoro lunged. In a second, he was slashing towards Bobo furiously. His sword finally clipped Bobo's wrist, drawing a drop of blood. "My swords get _hungry_," Zoro snarled.

"Yohohoho!" Bobo laughed furiously. His eyes gleamed. "Say, did you know that your girlfriend is getting shot over there?"

Zoro didn't fall for it. He knew fine well that Tashigi was barely conscious on the ground and all the enemies weren't paying her any attention. Even so, he glanced to one side.

Sure enough, as soon as his eyes flickered away, Bobo's sword struck. Zoro smirked. _Got you!_ Zoro thought venomously.

Bobo thought that he was taking Zoro by surprise. The joke was on him. As soon as Bobo lunged for the attack, the mercenary was close enough for Zoro to cut.

With blinding speed, Zoro dodged Bobo's blade, but Zoro was already swinging his sword around. _I've got you now!_ Zoro thought furiously. _One strike, and it'd be over_.

The feeling of the blade cutting through Zoro's skin caused him to freeze. Suddenly, Bobo's sword twisted around and stabbed him in the side.

_I dodged that_, Zoro thought dumbly. _I was _sure_ I dodged that lunge_.

"I _told_ you I had tricks up my sleeve," Bobo whispered with a cruel smirk. The loud, boisterous voice was gone. His voice was suddenly cold, and quiet. The laughter vanished.

Bobo's blade stabbed into him, near the thigh. Zoro's reflexes kicked in instantly. Before the blade could pierce any further, he instantly knocked the sword away with one hand and swiping at Bobo's arm with the sword in his mouth. Bobo's arm was forced to retreat before he had a chance to gut him. Zoro dropped to the floor and rolled away defensively.

Zoro's eyes widened as he got a chance to stare at Bobo's arms. The man's arms were longer than his body. Zoro counted two elbows, crisscrossed at different angles.

"You're from the Longarm Tribe," Zoro realised suddenly.

He had an extra joint in his arms. That long, baggy shirt of his. Bobo had been keeping his longer arms curled up in his sleeves, deliberately hiding how long his reach was. _He waited until I got comfortable, and used his long arms to twist his lunge around and stab me from the side…_

"And what? You thought I was just a dumb clown with a silly sword?" Bobo smirked softly. "You always have to put _labels_ on things, don't you?"

Zoro's jaw clenched. _He got a lucky strike_, Zoro thought furiously. _But it was a one off. I won't make that mistake again. The cut is only a flesh wound, it's not even that deep_…

He stopped suddenly as his hand went to his side. Zoro's eyes widened. The pain was still there, but couldn't feel any blood.

_Actually_, Zoro thought suddenly, _I can't feel anything at all_.

His skin was completely numb. It wasn't even tingling; all feeling had just… vanished. Zoro was left staring at his hands, totally unable to feel the texture of swords.

Zoro glared at Bobo. The man had a smug expression. "What did you do?" Zoro growled.

"I said _I_ never ate a Devil fruit. And that's true. I haven't," Bobo explained, slowly holding up his sword. The black metal gleamed in the faint light. The serrated edge of the blade was slick with blood. "_This sword_, however, has been infused with the power of Blind Blind fruit."

Zoro couldn't feel his skin. The disconcerting sensation caused him to back away slightly, staring at Bobo suspiciously. "The _sword_ has a Devil fruit power?" Zoro demanded.

"Yep," Bobo smirked. "That's the thing when inanimate objects are given Devil fruit powers; unless the fruit is Zoan, then it gives a completely passive power. An object can't _use_ a power, but still it's useful enough. Not as powerful as when a person eats it, of course, but still…" Bobo admired his sword slowly, running his finger gingerly across the sharp edge.

"Take the Blind Blind fruit, for example…" Bobo explained, glaring at Zoro as he carefully stepped forward. "Anybody who is cut by this black blade… will _blinded_ of a single random sense."

"Random?" There was a flicker of doubt in his voice.

"Yep," Bobo agreed. "I can't control the power. The sword controls the power, and this is just an object. Looking at you, I'm guessing you lost your sense of touch after that cut. Now, if I were to cut you again, well, maybe the next time you could lose your sense of smell. Or maybe your sense of sound. Or maybe even your sense of sight."

The short sword still seemed to gleam even in the smoky darkness. It looked almost thirsty for blood. "The sword's name is Kokuto Kageru," the mercenary muttered quietly, slowly swinging the blade back and forth. "The sword that brings darkness."

Zoro bit his lip. He couldn't feel the pressure, but he still felt the pain when he bit too deeply. It was like he lost all sense of texture on his skin.

"Do you understand now?" Bobo mocked. "This is a blade that makes it more difficult for an opponent to fight back after every slash. All it takes is half a dozen tiny little nicks and game over. Hell, maybe you'll be unlucky and it'll only take one slash. It's kind of a random bag, you know?"

"Yes," Zoro growled. "I understand that I have to kill you without getting cut again."

Bobo's smirk widened. He had a face that Zoro severely wanted to punch. "That's easier said than done, you know?"

Zoro paused. He looked a lot more cautious now, glaring at Bobo furiously. "How long does this last?"

"Forever. It's permanent." Bobo mocked. Zoro's eyes widened in shock. "Or, at least, it's permanent until the moment you take a hold of this Kokuto Kageru, from the handle. The sword has no effect on whoever is wielding it."

"That makes things simple then!" Zoro snarled, before launching at Bobo furiously. He half-expected Bobo to dodge backwards again, but instead the mercenary leapt to meet him, even slashing back with wild blows.

With his long arms, Bobo had the advantage of reach. His slashes were like whips as he hacked and slashed madly. Zoro was even put onto the defensive, but he parried every blow and still managed to counteract.

_Every cut and that sword takes a sense_, Zoro thought quickly. Five senses; touch, taste, smell, sound and sight. Even without touch he was struggling to keep up when he couldn't feel the blades like he used to, but he was managing. Zoro didn't care if he lost smell or taste, but fighting without sight or even sound… that could get difficult. _I can't take the risk. I have to end this before he cuts me again_.

"You're still not good enough to beat me!" Zoro roared, slashing so quickly his sword nicked Bobo's upper arm.

Bobo grunted. "Yeah, well…" He slashed downwards with his sword quickly. "… it must be hard to hold a sword when you can't feel the handle!"

Zoro's eyes widened as his blade fell uselessly out of his hand as he tried to parry. _Damn it!_ Zoro thought with panic. Zoro had been losing his grip of his sword and hadn't even noticed. _Had Bobo been attacking wildly deliberately, knowing that I couldn't feel the impact of his blows?_

Zoro's sword, Sandai Kitetsu, clattered out of his numb fingers and to the floor. Zoro had no choice; he had to jump backwards, but Bobo's reach was too long. Zoro barely managed to get away as the black sword cut shallowly across Zoro's shoulder. With a grunt, Bobo twisted around with his other hand, punching Zoro to the ground as he dodged.

He didn't feel the collision, but the pain still hurt. He landed roughly through a pile of stone rubble. Zoro coughed, and saw blood splattering on to the floor. He couldn't taste any blood in his mouth, but he knew it was there.

_I just lost my sense of taste_, Zoro realised slowly.

His heart was beating furiously now. He couldn't lose focus. He could fight without taste, but it was the lack of touch that was really getting to him. That blade was dangerous, and Bobo was a lot more cunning than Zoro originally gave him credit for.

Zoro was the better, stronger, faster fighter. Despite that, though, Zoro was now the one fighting at a disadvantage, missing a sword, and taking the most injuries.

Slowly, Bobo kicked Sandai Kitetsu to one side, out of reach. "Can you hear me?" Bobo asked curiously. "Or can you smell your own fear? Or maybe taste?"

Zoro grimaced. _I have to end this quickly_.

Before Zoro even had a chance to attack, Bobo lunged first. The long-armed man was suddenly leaping at him, aims flailing as he hacked and slashed his sword madly. Zoro blocked every blow, but Bobo was dancing around him, leaping and jumping as he tried to attack from all directions.

"Fight properly, bastard!" Zoro roared, still spinning to catch up with Bobo. The man smirked.

"_Nope_," Bobo said smugly, dropping backwards. "I just wanted a chance to get behind you. Let's see how your girlfriend is doing, shall we?"

With that, the man turned and ran in the opposite direction. Zoro blinked stupidly. The realisation came quickly.

Tashigi. He was running to kill Tashigi while she was still unconscious.

Zoro's legs exploded. Bobo had a head start, but Zoro accelerated faster. In an instant, Zoro glimpsed Bobo lunging downwards towards a motionless Tashigi. The swordsman was there just in time, slashing away Bobo's blade with one hand and snatching Tashigi up off the ground with the other in a fluid motion. Zoro was sure to parry the sword well away from him as he shoulder barged through Bobo in a tangle of limbs.

"_Pysche_," Bobo whispered. There was a slice as a blade cut across Zoro's upper leg. He never even flinched. The pain came later.

Zoro blinked, just in time to see Bobo's sword retreating, with blood on the edge. Bobo was suddenly holding two swords; both of them identical; black blade, serrated edge. Zoro gasped, wincing with pain. When Zoro dived to cover Tashigi, Bobo sliced him with the second sword.

"That's right. I had another sword hidden in my coat all along," Bobo chuckled, spinning both swords around slowly. While he had been running towards Tashigi, he must have taken the second one out while Zoro had been too distracted to notice. "Of course, only one of them is infused with the Blind Blind fruit. One real, one fake. Do you remember which is which, though?"

Zoro's hands clenched, still covering Tashigi closely. That cut had gone deeper than the others. Tashigi mewled quietly as he put her down protectively. She stirred, her eyes flickering awake.

"Zoro?" Tashigi muttered foggily, focusing on slowly as she clutched her head. "…Urgh… what happened?"

"It's alright," Zoro said with a gulp, pulling himself up, sword in each hand. "You stay there, I can handle this clown."

Bobo was still smirking, dropping into a fighting stance. "Are you _sure_ about that? How many senses do you have left?"

Zoro grunted. "Yeah. I can see and you hear you just fine," he grunted. "Hell, I can even smell your stinky, no good talent. That last cut you got on me must have been with the dupe blade."

His eyes flashed. "Is that so?" Bobo muttered, before darting in with a frontal lunge.

Zoro saw the head-on attack coming a mile away. He followed it easily; it didn't take him off-guard. Zoro knew he could parry the blow as easily as he raised his arm to stop it.

But nothing happened. His arms didn't move.

Tashigi screamed as suddenly Kokuto Kageru stabbed directly into his chest. Zoro gasped, and he fell backwards. His fighter's instincts kicked in and he tried to steady himself, but his legs stumbled and he toppled to the ground.

"Oh, I see," Bobo muttered mockingly. "You thought there were only _five_ senses, didn't you? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's a misconception."

"Zoro!" Tashigi screamed, scrambling off the floor towards him. Bobo smirked, pacing around them almost predatory. Zoro gasped, trying to clutch the wound on his shoulder. He couldn't even move his hands to the right place.

"Everyone actually has about _twenty_ senses, I think. I say 'about', because, well, eventually it gets hard to keep count, you know?" Bobo chuckled. "You've got the sense of pain, sense of direction, sense of balance, sense of proprioception that for some reasons people neglect from that five senses crap. And then there are things like sense of temperature, sense of hunger, sense of muscle tension that people don't even think about. That's not even going into the _really_ weird senses like sense of empathy, senses of emotion."

Bobo's his eyes glinted. Zoro was gasping, struggling to even feel the wound in his shoulder. He could see the blood, but he couldn't feel it or feel any pain. His body felt almost detached from his mind.

"…And then…" Bobo muttered coldly. "…You've got the _really_ important senses. Sense of time, sense of thought. Now that's scary part about Kokuto Kageru's power. Can you imagine being trapped in your own head for all eternity, cut off from your body, unable to think, unable to feel?"

Zoro groaned softly, trying to drag himself up off the ground. He had to concentrate just to move each limb individually. Tashigi looked between Zoro and Bobo, while gripping her sword tightly. "What did you do to him?" Tashigi demanded.

"Eh, I'm guessing that that cut before took away his proprioception – his hand-eye coordination. It must be bloody hard to fight when you don't even know where your own limbs are, hmm?" Bobo readied his blade slowly. "And judging from the lack of screaming, I'd say that my last cut took away his sense of pain. Now _those_ are two important senses to lose."

Tashigi's hands tightened around her blade. Zoro was failing to even stand up. He couldn't control his limbs properly. _I have to beat this man_, Tashigi thought furiously.

In an instant, she leapt upwards, striking out with a furious slash. Bobo parried the blow with one of his swords and slashed out with the other, using his long arms to full advantage. Tashigi could barely keep up, but she still managed to match every strike and unleash attacks of her own. Her sword, Shigure, was a flurry of dancing slashes and lunges as she struck out with perfect precision.

"Hmm…" Bobo conceded with a grunt as they danced. "You're not bad. Your boyfriend was better, but he was also angry and so easy to manipulate. I don't think I'm going to catch you out as easily, am I?"

Tashigi didn't respond. She had no intention of playing to his taunts. She just had to focusing on keeping that blade away from her skin at all costs.

Bobo leapt backwards, avoiding her strikes. "Well, then…" he muttered slowly, his grin widening. "Shame your boyfriend is in no state to _dodge_, now isn't it?"

With a fluid motion, Bobo drew back one of his blades and threw it straight through the air, the short sword spinning straight towards. Tashigi's heart pounded. Zoro wouldn't be able to dodge. Zoro could barely stand up.

Her legs pounded off the ground with blinding speed, sword slashing out. She barely managed to slash the edge of the projectile sword, knocking it off to one side and it clattered to the ground.

But as soon as she turned around, Tashigi felt the jab of pain as a blade nicked the back of her ankle. _Fuck_, she thought with pure dread.

Tashigi tried to twist around and retaliate. Her body moved on instinct, but, suddenly, those instincts were wrong. Her foot slid uselessly against the ground and she stumbled backwards. There wasn't even a feeling of dizziness as she toppled.

Bobo was laughing, even as he lunged in for the kill. "Yohohoho! Unlucky! Sense of balance, gone!" He screeched, stabbing his sword downwards.

"_Get away from her_."

Bobo barely managed to react as Zoro charged at him from the side. The swordsman was clutching only one blade, Wado Ichimonji, with both hands as he slashed downwards ferociously. His eyes were feral.

"Whoa!" Bobo exclaimed happily. "I've never seen a man fight with absolutely no coordination before!"

Zoro was sweating furiously. His heart was pounding. Every movement was difficult. He had to stop and think about every step, and every slash. He couldn't fight as naturally as he should have been able to. It was like he was controlling his body but without knowing where it was.

_I need to finish him quickly_, Zoro grunted, his muscles screaming as he slashed with all the force he had. A swordsman needed to feel when he fought.

The slash released a blade of air that slashed open the ground. Bobo twisted to one side, but the shockwave still sent him flying. Zoro leapt after him, but the mercenary landed on his feet and parried the blow. Bobo had to use both hands on his short sword to match Zoro's strength.

"Alright, I admit it, you're pretty good," Bobo conceded, as he kicked out as Zoro's legs. Zoro couldn't dodge in time – he had to hold his body stiffly to stop himself from tripping over. "But me? I'm just better at killing better men."

The blow sent Zoro stumbling. He couldn't even react as Bobo's blade slashed against his shoulder.

Bobo was laughing. Zoro couldn't even hear the sound. His ears went deaf.

Still, he didn't even pause as he slashed out with all the rage he had. Zoro thought that he might have been screaming. It was hard to tell.

Bobo danced around him, throwing dirt at Zoro's face. The swordsman grunted and lashed out blindly, but then Bobo was behind him, casually making two little nicks on his back. Zoro couldn't even react to it. There was no pain, no sensation. Instead, he just felt his body becoming even more numb.

He didn't have time to even think about what senses had just lost. Instead, Zoro twisted and lunged. Bobo was smirking cruelly as he tripped the swordsman over, and easily made a small cut across Zoro's wrist.

The world disappeared. Everything went black for him. Bobo cheered. "Now there goes sight!" Bobo laughed, though Zoro couldn't hear him.

Zoro lunged to where he thought Bobo had been standing last, but there was no way of knowing whether it him or not. Zoro's heart was pounding like a drum as he stood there like a statue, blindly slashing madly at empty air. Zoro's sword fell from his grasp. The swordsman never even noticed as suddenly he was left trying to slash with no sword in his hands.

Bobo was grinning broadly as he slowly walked up to Zoro, and punched him straight in the face. The swordsman toppled to the ground without even flinching.

"ZORO!" Tashigi roared, struggling to even stand up properly. The world was spinning for her.

Bobo laughed, stamping on Zoro's back. He could have easily slit Zoro's throat, but instead his Kokuto Kageru darted out, gently making four nicks on Zoro's neck.

"Sorry to be the one to tell you, but your boyfriend is a vegetable now!" Bobo roared hysterically, absentmindedly cutting Zoro a few more times, just for good measure. "Completely and utterly blind to the world! On the plus side, he's now completely housetrained! The perfect, handsome, polite boyfriend – just stick him up in a corner along with the potted plant!"

"You bastard!" Tashigi screamed, shambling towards him carefully, but still stumbling with every step.

"Oh don't be like that!" Bobo laughed. "Tell you what, I'll even give you a straw that you can use to feed him! Not that he'd care, of course, right now he can't even feel or control his own muscles. Alas, that does make toilet training impossible!"

Tashigi's body burned. Bobo still had his foot on Zoro's back, kicking the motionless man absentmindedly. "I'll kill you," Tashigi snarled. "_I. Will. Cut. You. Open_."

"Try it." Bobo shrugged. "Now, your boyfriend, _he_ was tough. I'm too worried about facing a little girl that can't even stand up straight anymore. All it takes a single cut, honey, and somehow I don't think you can avoid that when you're stumbling with every step!"

She could feel her teeth grinding together with rage. Bobo was still laughing, leering over Zoro jovially.

"You want to know the best part about when they reach this stage?" Bobo sighed, kicking Zoro until he rolled over on his back. "It's their faces. Look at him –so furious, so scared, so _helpless_!"

Zoro's face was frozen with rage, but totally motionless. His brow was furrowed, jaw clenched, eyes blazing, but he couldn't move a muscle. His eyes were bloodshot. He didn't even twitch as Bobo bent over him, gently slapping him in the face.

"That's the thing, his mind has been totally severed from his body," Bobo laughed, poking him roughly in the eye. Tashigi felt her blood burn. "I mean, the body itself still works fine, but he just can't feel anything about it. People rely on their senses – if you can't even react to the outside world, well, you might as well just be a plank of wood."

"Zoro…" Tashigi gasped, eyes wide with shock. The anger and dread overloaded her body. The sight of Bobo messing with the Zoro as if he were a human-sized doll sent tremors down her spine. _This is bad; this is very, very bad_…

Bobo's laughter filled the air. "Aww…" Bobo pouted snidely, placing his hand on Zoro's chest. The swordsman's pulse felt like a sledgehammer hitting against a wall. "Listen to his little heart, pounding away in there. How cute. Why, he must be so _scared_, you kn–"

The laughter stopped. Bobo's voice ended in a shocked, choking noise. Zoro's hand struck out. Suddenly, the swordsman was clutching the mercenary by the throat. Tightly. Very, very tightly.

Tashigi's mouth dropped open. Bobo couldn't even gasp in surprise.

Zoro's unseeing eyes were looking straight at him blindly. His mouth slowly twisted up into a smirk, as raspy words came hoarsely out of Zoro's throat.

"… _**I**_… _**see**_… _**you**_…"

Those three words were the most terrifying that Bobo had ever heard. His face went pale. Zoro's grip on his throat tightened even further.

Zoro was grinning now, and it was all teeth.

"… Not… not possible…!" Bobo gasped in pure panic, struggling to react as Zoro twisted him onto the floor. The swordsman was on top of Bobo now, still throttling the life out of him with one hand.

Bobo clutched his sword and managed stabbed Zoro in the torso. He stabbed Zoro repeatedly, but the swordsman didn't even flinch.

_Of course he didn't flinch_, Tashigi realised. Zoro couldn't feel a thing.

There were no fancy tricks or cunning tactics left. Now, there was just Zoro, clutching Bobo by the throat, fingers digging around his jugular. Almost shakily, Zoro raised his other arm upwards, his hand clenched so tightly into a fist that his fingernails pierced his palm.

And then, with merciless force, Zoro punched downwards, knuckles colliding with Bobo's head with bone-shattering force. Bobo's skull bounced off the stone ground with a dull thud. Zoro's grip around his throat didn't even slacken.

Zoro punched Bobo again. And again. And again. Each impact was just as ruthless as the last. The punches were slow and rhythmic. Every punch was firm and unyielding. Bobo's screams were bloodcurdling, but they fell on deaf eyes.

Bobo tried to thrash and escape, but Zoro literally didn't even notice.

Instead, he just kept on punching as Bobo's skull was pounded into mush. Even when Zoro's own knuckles were bleeding, he didn't stop or slow down.

The only thing Zoro knew was that, in his head, he could feel the faint outline telling him where Bobo's presence was.

It had only been when every other sense had vanished that that presence had finally become crystal clear.

Zoro just kept on punching blindly until that presence disappeared from his mind completely. And then he kept on punching some more, just to be on the safe side.

By the time Zoro was done, there was very little left of Bobo's head. Brains, bone and flesh littered the ground in a dull gloop that splattered everywhere. Still, Zoro never let go of Bobo's neck.

Tashigi stared, eyes wide. Slowly, she staggered forward, and pulled the black sword out of the corpse's limp fingers. As soon as Tashigi touched the handle, she felt the world straighten as her sense of balance came rushing back.

Tashigi groaned, carefully reaching down and plying apart Zoro's bloody fingers, and place the black sword in his hand. Zoro was completely motionless as she wrapped Kokuto Kageru into his grip.

As soon as he was holding it and she let go, Zoro gasped and screamed in equal parts relief and agony as all of the sensations and pain came rushing back to him. The feeling was so intense that he toppled to the ground, struggling to breathe.

"…That…" Zoro panted heavily as he stared at his own hands in shock. "…_That_ was unpleasant…"

* * *

_Aisa_. Wiper's heart was like a drum in his chest. He wanted to charge Biyunka, tear out her throat, to rip her in half. He longed to hear her scream, but he couldn't. The only thing that stopped him was the side Aisa's eyes, wide with terror as those spinning disks hummed millimetres away from her throat.

"Did you hear me?" Biyunka muttered coldly, still clutching the little girl tightly, holding her from the hair. "You either kill yourself, or I'll kill her now."

Wiper's eyes blazed. "You… you…" he growled. "I can't. You'll just kill her anyways."

"I won't," Biyunka said with a shrug. "I don't kill people unless I'm getting paid for it. This girl is not on the list, but you are. If you refuse, then I'll simply kill her anyways to give myself a better chance at beating you."

The raider hesitated, eyes filled with doubt suddenly. Aisa stared. "…Wiper…" she muttered quietly.

Carefully Wiper took a step forward. _I have to keep her talking_, he thought furiously. "How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"You don't," Biyunka said simply. She inched her arm closer, and Aisa gasped as the disks sliced across surface of her skin. "But if you take another step towards me, I will kill her straight away. You have a minute to make a decision before I slice her throat open."

His hands were shaking. Wiper looked almost… afraid? Aisa had never seen him afraid before. It was enough to make her heart pound. For a second, Aisa saw his eyes flicker

"…No…" Aisa muttered quietly. "…No, don't you dare. I won't let you."

He blinked. "Aisa…"

"Shut up, girl," Biyunka snapped, yanking her hair a bit harder. "Thirty seconds left."

Aisa gasped. There were tears in her eyes and her hands were shaking madly. Still, she never even hesitated. "Wiper!" She screamed suddenly. "Just kill this _bitch_ already and rescue me like you always do!"

Biyunka grunted, and snatched her arm towards Aisa neck. Wiper bellowed and leapt towards her. The world seemed to slow down. Aisa could feel the disks brushing against her neck.

She did the only thing she could. Aisa suddenly kicked backwards, pushing her back into Biyunka just as the blades spun towards her. Biyunka lost her footing and toppled.

The three of them collided in mid-air. Aisa screamed as the disks cut across her cheek, drawing blood, but then Wiper was there, pushing her to one side as he charged head-first into Biyunka. His eyes were more berserk than Aisa had ever, ever seen them.

"Aisa!" Wiper bellowed, as he slammed his fist into Biyunka's stomach. "… _Language!_"

Aisa grinned madly, even despite the pain. Suddenly, Wiper was on Biyunka, tearing into her like a wild animal. The woman gasped as the punches sent her flying, only for Wiper to grab her by the ankle mid-air and slam her into the ground.

"_You dare!?_" Wiper snarled, clutching Biyunka by the throat. "_You dare to hurt AISA!?_"

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't respond. Suddenly, her neck transformed into a series of spinning disks, and Wiper yelped as he had to snatch his hand away.

Biyunka's knuckles were suddenly furiously sharp, spinning disks protruding from her fists. She slashed at Wiper with an uppercut that barely missed his chin. Still, the raider didn't even hesitate as he head-butted her to the ground.

Biyunka gasped as she collapsed. Wiper tried to punch her as she went down, but suddenly the floor transformed into a turntable that knocked him away.

Both of Biyunka's hands were on the ground. At once, the floor she was standing on transformed into dozens of spinning wheels, all shooting up from the ground. Wiper almost lost his footing, but he still charged through the disks without hesitation. Biyunka was there to meet him, her body spinning around so furiously she was like a meat-grinder.

Still, at that moment, Wiper was so angry he was like a meat-pulveriser.

The battle was as blindingly fast as it was fierce. Somehow, despite Biyunka's powers, she still came off worse. Her body transformed into spinning disks that Wiper couldn't even touch without tearing up his fingers, but that still didn't stop him from punching her so hard and so fast that her bones crunched.

For a second, Aisa could see the panic in Biyunka's eyes. Suddenly, her hips twisted, and her upper body began to rotate like a spinning top as she sliced towards Wiper. Her arms were so fast that they shredded through solid stone.

But that didn't stop Wiper from grabbing her by the leg, and throwing her bodily into the ground. The floor splintered into dust and shards of rubble as Biyunka tore through it.

She gasped, panting heavily and already covered in blood. Still, her eyes narrowed and she waved her hand. At once, all of the flying pieces of rubble transformed into spinning disks of stone that buzzed through the air.

Wiper braced himself, but half a second later he realised that the disks weren't spinning towards him. His legs reacted on autopilot as he saw all of the spinning projectiles buzzing towards Aisa.

"AISA!" Wiper roared, jumping towards her and swiping the disks out of the air. Aisa gasped as the disks cut into the concrete around her.

Still, that was all the opportunity Biyunka needed. There was a metallic ringing as something wrapped around Wiper's leg. "Got you!" She grunted, clutching a metal chain tightly.

Wiper's eyes widened in shock. The metal chain was thick, wrought iron. Suddenly, every ring of the chain transformed into a disk, twisting itself into a knot around Wiper's leg so tightly that his foot went numb. Biyunka yanked the chain sharply, pulling his leg away and Wiper collapsed to the ground.

His fingers bit into the ground as he tried to stop himself, but it was no good. Biyunka's torso transformed into a wheel, causing her upper body to spin around with blinding speed. Wiper was dragged off the ground, suddenly being spun around by the chain so fast that the centrifugal force nearly ripped his leg off.

There was no time to react. Biyunka was still spinning him around, using his body like a wrecking ball as she flung him straight through walls, floor and piles of debris. Aisa screamed as Wiper was left spinning helplessly.

The metal chain snapped after ten seconds, but that was enough. As soon as the chain broke, Wiper was send flying, crashing headfirst straight through what was left of the ruined warehouse.

"Wiper!" Aisa screamed, rushing towards him through the dust.

Behind her, Biyunka nearly collapsed with exhaustion. In such a short battle, the ruined warehouse had been completely pulverised. There was barely a floor left anymore.

Wiper was gasping for breath, struggling to stay awake, half-buried in the debris. Aisa rushed to him, clutching his hand tightly. "…Aisa…" he gasped weakly, quickly slipping out of consciousness. "…_Run_…"

There were footsteps walking towards him. Biyunka was there, her body bloodied and walking with a limp as she glared at Wiper irritably. "…That was annoying…" She muttered, glaring angrily.

Wiper was unconscious. Biyunka was still moving. Aisa shook her head slowly, standing in front of Wiper with arms opened protectively.

"…No…" Aisa muttered, eyes cold. The blood from her cheek was dripping down her shoulder. "… I won't let you hurt him, you _bitch_."

Biyunka glared at her. Wiper was out for the count, and she didn't want to give him a chance to wake up. Biyunka wasn't the sort to give her opponents a chance to recover. There was only Aisa standing in her way.

"Little girl…" Biyunka spat, eyes cold. "I lied, by the way. You _are_ on the list."

Almost casually, Biyunka reached out a touched a chunk of rubble. Aisa's eyes widened as the boulder started to twist and churn, rolling around as it reshaped into a huge circular wheel. In less than a second, the boulder launched itself off the spot, wheeling towards Aisa with breakneck speed. The girl couldn't even dodge as the stone wheel crashed into her, slamming her into the wall. Stone dust scattered everywhere.

"Dumb little brat…" Biyunka muttered, already limping towards Wiper. Her hand reshaped into a large circular saw, buzzing through the air.

"Hey!" A voice shouted suddenly, coughing slightly. "I said I wouldn't let you hurt him!"

Biyunka paused, raising an eyebrow as Aisa brushed the dust off her clothes and stepped forward. The little girl's eyes were dark. Biyunka grunted.

"Alright," Biyunka muttered, rolling her eyes. "So you've got some skill."

Without warning, Biyunka stomped on the ground. The floor instantly transformed into a turntable, spinning Aisa straight towards Biyunka. The mercenary's arm lashed out, her wrist transforming into a buzz saw just as Aisa was spun straight into her arm.

The little girl collided into the blades with a satisfying chunk. There was a splatter of blood.

For half a second, Biyunka smirked with satisfaction. Then, she felt the pain jolt through her arm. Her eyes widened in shock.

_Wait a second_, Biyunka thought with stunned surprise. I'm_ the one that's bleeding?_ _Her neck hit my saw-arm, but my arm still came off worse?_

Aisa was rubbing her throat sorely as she stood up again. The girl glared at the mercenary with pure defiance. "It's not my fault, okay?" Aisa snapped, slowly cracking her knuckles.

"What?" Biyunka muttered, stepping backwards slightly. There were long gashes running down her arm, dripping blood, but Aisa never even looked hurt. "…What… what are you?"

"It's really not my fault!" Aisa protested, pouting slightly. "I spend a month on that ship with absolutely nothing to do! And there were all of these _boxes_, just lying there… and well…"

Biyunka blinked. Recovering quickly, she reached out and touched two lumps of rubble lying on the ground. The resultant stone disks flew towards Aisa furiously, hissing through the air, but the girl didn't even flinch. The disks exploded in a shower of dust, but the girl was still standing in the exact same position.

"I mean, they had even marked the boxes with 'Do not touch!'!" Aisa protested. "Can you imagine that? They left me on a small boat with plenty of free time right next to all those boxes and actually specifically _told me not to touch them_! Urgh, what the hell did they _expect_ was going to happen?"

"What the hell are you talking about, little girl?" Biyunka snapped, snatching up the metal chain again. The mercenary swung the chain like a whip, blindingly fast. It collided against Aisa with a dull crack like thunder. Still, the girl didn't move and suddenly the chain was shattered into little chunks of metal splattering everywhere.

"I knew Wiper would be really angry if he found out, so I didn't say anything," Aisa explained sheepishly, as she slowly stepped towards Biyunka. "I mean, it's really not my fault that I might have, kind of, accidently, you know, _eaten_ one of those weird fruits…"

Around Aisa, the ground slowly started to rumble. The lumps of debris began to twist and morph. Biyunka's eyes widened in shock as suddenly the whole warehouse seemed to vibrate. Biyunka saw lumps of rock rising off the ground, hovering and vibrating in mid-air as it morphed. It was like the surrounding stone was slowly sagging and transforming into liquid.

Aisa smiled smugly, folding her arms. "Like I said," the girl muttered slowly. "…_Totally_ not my fault."

* * *

Wiper gasped as his eyes shot open. His skull was pounding furiously, but his brain kicked back into consciousness quickly. Even as he was blinking and trying to process what had just happened, his heart was pounding and the adrenaline was kick-starting his body.

"_Aisa!_" Wiper bellowed, lurching awake. "Aisa, where are yo–!?"

"Oh, hey Wiper," Aisa said cheerfully, standing behind him. "How are you?"

Wiper blinked repeatedly. His head was still spinning, but he quickly realised that Aisa looked completely unharmed. There was a pink bandage across the cut on her cheek, but otherwise there wasn't a scratch on her.

Aisa was settled over Conis, crudely trying to a wrap a bandage around her injuries. The blonde-haired angel was still unconscious. Wiper realised that Aisa had tried to bandage up his own injuries, as well. He paused as his last memories rushed back to him.

"That woman," Wiper demanded urgently. "Where is she?"

Meekly, Aisa pointed across the warehouse. Biyunka was lying face first on the ground in a shallow pool of blood. Wiper jumped to his feet quickly, but the mercenary wasn't moving. Biyunka's dress had been tattered. It looked like the mercenary was lying in a shallow crater.

Wiper's jaw dropped open. "Um… what happened to her?"

"She tripped," Aisa said quickly. "She tripped, landed face first on the ground, and knocked herself straight out. Totally unexpected, huh?"

Wiper blinked, staring at the little girl. Aisa smiled innocently. "She… _tripped_…?"

"Yep." Aisa nodded definitely. "It was those skate-wheel-thingies of hers. She turned her feet into wheels, and just – whoops – lost her balance."

It took Wiper a few seconds to reply. His eyes bulged as he stared at the unconscious mercenary. Slowly, he rubbed his head, and turned around to face Aisa.

"You should have woken me up sooner," Wiper growled, his arms folded. "It's still too dangerous for you alone out here."

Aisa smirked softly. "Yeah." She nodded. "Definitely way, way too dangerous."

* * *

The pain rocketed through Sanji's legs. His shoes had already been blown to pieces, but Sanji still couldn't stop. His legs were tough, but those grenades were vicious and already Sanji was struggling with every kick.

The chef was panting, his brow dripping sweat. He felt like collapsing, but he couldn't. He couldn't stop or even slow down. He had to keep on moving even as the explosions rocketed off his body over and over again.

"Have you played dodgeball?" Bourin shouted, tauntingly. The fat man was smirking at the sight of him. "Well, think of this as a game of reverse-dodgeball; i.e. your objective is to get hit as many times as possible. After all, if anything actually misses you, well, that'd be bad for the hospital, won't it?"

Sanji glared furiously at him, but there was no time to pause. He heard the distinct clunk as a grenade was loaded, and suddenly Sanji had to move. The mercenary shot upwards towards the hospital, and Sanji had no choice but to grit his teeth and jump upwards, bouncing off the wall as his leg kicked outwards to deflect the grenade.

The projectile exploded against his foot. Sanji roared in pain as he felt the flames scorch his foot, but he had no choice to keep on going. Another mercenary was already loading up, and Sanji hit to kick off the wall again, meeting another projectile in mid-air with a furious spinning kick from his other leg.

The pain was indescribable. Sanji couldn't feel his toes. He was gasping for breath, struggling to stand when he still had to kick.

But still, Sanji had no choice. The hospital was barely standing up, any explosion could bring it down. Sanji could see the building wobbling with every tremor. The only way Sanji could save Usopp's life was to make sure that not a single grenade hit it.

And the only way to do that was to take the grenades for him.

"Come on, tough guy!" Bourin roared. "Is that the best you can do?"

Sanji knew that he was playing exactly into the mercenaries' hands. This was exactly what Bourin wanted. If Sanji stopped the grenades, then Sanji would be weakened or dead and Bourin would win. If Sanji couldn't stop them, the hospital would crashing down and Bourin would still win.

Sanji couldn't even get close enough to fight at close range, without allowing every mercenary a clear shot at the hospital. They were all safely dispersed, so they could shoot at the building at different angle and there wasn't a thing Sanji could do to stop them.

Right now, Sanji's whole counterplan was simply to let them shoot him until they ran out of ammo, and that just wasn't a good plan at all.

_I can't take much more of this_, Sanji thought with a gasp. His legs were trembling. His kicks were powerful, but they still couldn't stop so many grenades…

"You ready for round two?" Bourin shouted, as the mercenaries loaded up again. Sanji glared at him with pure hatred. "Everyone, on my mark, fire together!"

_Not all at once!_ Sanji cursed violently. He could only kick away one grenade at a time. His legs were so weak he wasn't sure if he could stand up again.

_What I can or can't do is irrelevant_, Sanji thought furiously, clutching his hands tightly. _What I _have_ to do is the only thing that matters_.

"Everyone!" Bourin crowed. "_Fire!_"

Two dozen grenades burst through the air from all across the courtyard. Sanji just grit his teeth, and launched upwards.

_It's my fault that Usopp ended up here. If my dead body can buy Usopp a few more minutes that could save his life, then that's not really a choice at all._

Sanji met the first grenades as he burst over the stairs, kicking them into each other with a swift swipe. The air exploded but Sanji used the shockwave to launch himself at the next group, knocking them to one side even as the blast of air knocked his breath away. His body was screaming in pain, but he still had to move. He almost missed one as it flew past his ear, then he caught it cartwheeling kick.

Still, Sanji barely managed to glimpse another five blurs shooting by him, straight towards the hospital. He was left dropping to the floor in the opposite direction, with no way of reaching them in time.

"NO!" Sanji screamed, as he kicked out furiously with all the strength he had.

And, just for a moment, when he kicked empty air he was sure that he felt his foot collide against something that felt as hard as stone.

He had no time to think about. Somehow, Sanji was suddenly pushing himself off nothing air and shooting straight towards the projectiles.

There was no time to kick or even brace for impact. Instead, there was nothing to do except grit his teeth as Sanji's whole body slammed straight into the flying grenades.

_I'll protect you, Usopp. I promised it_.

He felt a grenade bounce off his forehead and then explode. It was fleeting blow, but explosion still jarred his neck and sent him spinning. At least another two hit him in the chest, but there was no way to keep count. Sanji blacked out for a second, but then he was bouncing off the hospital wall, his whole body smoking as he toppled to the ground.

Above him, two objects burst through the shattered hospital windows and then exploded. The whole building shook.

_I missed some_, Sanji thought with dull shock. There was too much concussion for him to remember which room Usopp was in. A whole corner of the hospital collapsed with a tremendous creak, and suddenly there were tonnes of stone crashing downwards from the floors above and Sanji had no idea whether Usopp would survive that or not.

"Ow! Twenty-two out of twenty four! That's pretty good, kid, but unlucky!" Bourin shouted tauntingly. The sound of his voice brought everything back into focus for Sanji.

_Now!_ Sanji realised with shock. _I have to finish this now while they are all still reloading!_

With every last bit of stamina Sanji had left, drawing on hidden reserves he never even realised existed, Sanji screamed as he charged straight towards the mercenaries.

Twenty four mercenaries, all dispersed around the courtyard. It took about thirty seconds for them to reload. One man a second sounded about right.

The first man was caught by surprise as Sanji barrelled into him. Sanji sprinted straight through the mercenary, not even bothering to kick. The next one tried to scream, but Sanji spun around, kicking him straight into his colleague. Sanji's legs burned and screamed in agony, but there was no time to feel pain.

Three men, all close together, were taken down by a single cartwheel kick, but Sanji didn't lose any momentum. Another tried to draw a pistol, but Sanji kicked a chunk of rubble so hard that the boulder slammed into him like a bowling ball.

They were starting to react. Sanji had to move faster. Two of them tried to block his way, but Sanji tore straight through them, and launched one of them into a mercenary that was trying to run away.

He was halfway through the courtyard, and gaining speed. Bourin was next, surrounded by three more men. The sight of the fat man caused Sanji's blood to boil. All of the hate was channelled into his leg, as he spun around furiously.

_I'll kill him. One kick and I'll break the fat bastard's spine_.

Sanji was sure he felt his leg start to burn as his muscles tensed and contracted.

Bourin's eyes were cold. "Go long," he muttered quietly, raising his hands as he held an object up and pointed it at the distance.

Sanji's eyes widened in shock. Bourin had a grenade launcher of his own, loaded but unfired. There was a click as he pulled the trigger.

Sanji had less than a second to react and change direction. The chef swerved to one side, launching his leg into the mercenary standing closest. Sanji kicked so hard that there was smoke. Bones cracked and suddenly the man was sent flying off the ground.

Sanji's heart froze as the man was launched like a rocket, shooting straight towards the flying grenade. Still, he kicked the man so hard that he accelerated faster the grenade launcher, and crashed straight into the grenade in mid-air. Sanji felt his heart tremble for a second as he watched the bloody explosion, but it was a safe distance away from the hospital.

The chef never even had time to breathe a sigh of relief. As soon as Sanji twisted to one side, Bourin was there behind him, hand coiled and ready to strike. Bourin was fast on his feet for someone so large. Suddenly, Bourin launched an open-palmed strike into the chef's back that sent Sanji slammed the chef into ground. The blow felt like a cannon strike.

"You broke the rules," Bourin growled, towering over Sanji. The chef almost collapsed, but somehow he kept on going.

"You didn't understand the game!" Sanji snapped, kicking Bourin furiously in the chest. It felt like kicking a huge pillow, but it still knocked the man backwards. "I don't want to play dodgeball!"

The other mercenaries were loaded. Sanji counted ten left, all of them clutching grenade loaders and taking aim at the hospital. Sanji only had one chance. He charged at Bourin with all the power he had left.

"Me?" Sanji muttered, taking a deep breath. "I'm good at _bowling_!"

Sanji's leg collided against Bourin with more force than he had ever kicked before. He spun and he collided against Bourin's torso like an explosion of dynamite. His foot sunk into Bourin's fat, and the man's eyes bulged.

For a second, they both froze at the moment of impact. But then, physics reasserted itself and Bourin was sent flying backwards with unstoppable momentum.

The mercenaries didn't even have time to scream as they were instantly mowed down by the accelerating mass of pure Bourin.

Sanji collapsed, panting madly as he watched Bourin bounce off the ground, twisting around and rolling over the remaining mercenaries. The last man managed a hoarse scream just before he was crushed with a sickening thud between Bourin and a wall.

Ten mercenaries, one Bourin. Slowly, Sanji raised both his hands in the air. "_Strike, bitches_," he muttered coldly.

His legs were so injured he could barely stand up. Sanji nearly blacked out with pure relief. Still, nearly ten seconds later, his body froze as he heard a rustle of movement and a pained groan.

Bourin slowly crawled out of the body-sized indentation he made in the ground. His face was pure beetroot. He was coughing blood, but his jaw was clenched. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared over the motionlessly bodies of his own men, crushed under his own mass.

_Fuck_, Sanji thought with a grimace. _The fat bastard is tough_.

Sanji never knew how much fight he had left. His whole body felt like it been through a shredder. Still, there was only one opponent left, and Sanji had no choice but to bet that he could muster up enough strength to finish this.

Bourin must have been having the same thought. He was still clutching his empty grenade launcher tightly. The mercenary paused.

"Let's change the game," he muttered finally, eyes focused on Sanji. "Have you ever played Jenga?"

Without pause, Bourin turned and ran, storming straight towards the entrance of the hospital. Sanji was chasing after him in a second, staggering despite the growing agony with every step. Bourin reached the hospital first, charging straight down the devastated corridor, but Sanji was close behind him.

He loaded up his grenade launcher with his final round as he ran. Sanji wasn't going to give him a chance to fire it. As soon as Bourin stopped to turn around, weapon in hand, Sanji was there.

"Remember when you called my legs skinny?" Sanji growled, kicking the weapon out of Bourin's hands with a swift upper strike. The grenade launcher went flying down the corridor, but Sanji was already slamming his other knee straight into Bourin's chest. "How skinny are they _now_?"

Bourin grunted, but he shrugged off the blow. Instantly, he shoulder barged straight into Sanji, slamming the chef through the wall with the force of a wrecking ball.

"How _fat_ am I now?" Bourin snarled, lashing out with an open-palm strike that sent Sanji flying. Sanji was coughing up blood, but he still managed to jump up again.

Sanji glared. He was pretty badly injured, but so was Bourin. Sanji dropped to the ground, readying himself for another kick. Before he even had a chance, Bourin's hand struck backwards, his fist tearing straight through the wall. The ceiling started to tremble.

"What are you doing?!" Sanji bellowed.

"What does look like?" Bourin snorted, tearing through another wall with his other hand. "I'm tearing this building down!"

"Stop it!"

"Try and stop me!" Bourin challenged, barging his way straight through another wall.

Sanji roared and chased after him. Bourin tore through another room, an office, before sliding to a halt and twisting around to face Sanji. Sanji screamed, spinning his leg around, readying himself for a powerful kick. The fat man didn't even try to block. Bourin had a smirk on his face.

Then, seconds before Sanji's leg was about to make contact, he realised why. Bourin was standing with his back against one of the building's support columns.

The chef's leg halted less than a foot away from Bourin.

The mercenary grunted. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Bourin mocked, striking out with a palm strike that sent Sanji flying. "Just look at all of these _load-bearing pillars_ around here."

_Oh no_, Sanji thought with shock. _This was bad_. Sanji couldn't risk damaging any of the support columns. Bourin, on the other hand, could damage whatever he wanted.

Bourin was on him instantly, hands lashing out in vicious jabs. Sanji tried to attack with short kicks, but Bourin just powered through them in a sudden charge. Sanji was about to dodge out the way, when he realised that there was another column directly behind him, and Bourin showed no sign of stopping.

Instead, Sanji had to stick his ground and try to block the assault. He screamed as Bourin's palms pounded against his body with dull thuds.

_I've got to get away from all these pillars_, Sanji thought furiously, trying to stagger away. _The main corridor. I can fight properly there_. Bourin didn't give him the chance, grabbing Sanji roughly by the hair and dragging him back into the room.

Sanji had to fight with both hands behind his back, and Bourin had him by the balls. It was all Sanji could do to stay conscious as Bourin pounded the life out of him with furious blows.

"Got to ask," Bourin muttered, as Sanji tried to stagger off the ground. "Why do you only use kicks? You keep your hands hidden in combat?"

Sanji's jaws clenched. It was so hard to even focus, let alone stand up straight. "A chef's hands are his life," he growled quietly, struggling even to breathe. "I keep my hands protected in battle by using my legs."

Bourin grunted, before lashing out with a fearsome strike that crashed against Sanji's head. "Bah! Typical," he chided. "That's pretty much been your big mistake this whole fight!"

Sanji growled and swept his leg upwards, colliding against Bourin's chin. The mercenary took the blow, before crashing on to Sanji and gathering him up in a bone-crunching bear hug. Sanji felt his bones crack, but then Bourin was slamming him straight through the wall.

"Don't you know?" Bourin growled, slamming the chef around like a rag-doll. "Any man that tries to protect too much is doomed to lose it all. You tried too hard to keep something safe, and, well, that just wasn't very smart."

They burst through into the main corridor again, with Bourin slamming him into the lobby next to the staircase. Sanji could feel the whole building trembling. He had no idea if the fourth floor was even still intact. For all he knew, Usopp could have been crushed to death half a battle ago.

Sanji tried weakly to thrash, but he was out of strength. Bourin's grip was like iron as he crushed Sanji into the stairs with a massive body slam. The tiled stairs cracked and shattered around him.

"You're one _dumb_ pirate," Bourin growled, still crushing Sanji with as his hands wrapped around the pirate's throat.

Sanji couldn't breathe. He was left gasping uselessly for air. The only thing he could see was Bourin's beetroot face, sweat-dripping off it as the man throttled the life out of him. There were black spots flickering across his vision.

"As a matter of fact…" Bourin grunted mercilessly, his sweaty hands tightening a bit further. It felt like Sanji's head was being torn off. "…Your big problem is… you just… don't have… any _brains_–"

There was a dull click from behind them. The moment froze.

And then suddenly Bourin's head exploded with a tremendous boom. Sanji's eyes bulged as the shower of blood and flesh splattered everywhere.

Sanji gasped for air, twisting his head. Usopp was standing next to him, still wearing his hospital gown. Usopp's hands were trembling madly as he held a grenade launcher tightly, pointing towards where Bourin's head used to be. The sniper's face was bone white.

"…And neither do you," Usopp wheezed weakly, before collapsing to the floor.

* * *

There was a long pause. For a second, Robin wondered what it might feel like to just turn and walk away. She could run to the docks, maybe scrounge up some vessel, and hopefully get out of the city before the perimeter was really locked down. That was her best, probably her only, option for survival.

There was a time, even only a few months ago, when Robin would have taken it with barely a second's hesitation. Now though, she stopped in the middle of the ruined docks and she hesitated for nearly ten seconds.

Slowly, Robin tilted her head to glance at Luffy, still unconscious behind him.

After that glance, there wasn't any hesitation at all.

Suddenly, Robin's hands were sprouting across the battlefield, twisting and flexing. Within moments, Gapopo was entangled by arms clutching him down, twisting his bones as fingers tore against his skin.

His head shuddered as Robin's arms snapped his neck a full hundred and eighty degrees. She felt his bones break. Still, Gapopo was chuckling even as she broke every bone, one by one.

"Oh, have we actually started to fight yet?" Gapopo mused, just as Robin's arms cracked his kneecaps.

Robin grit her teeth but didn't reply. Gapopo didn't move. He actually stayed perfectly still and waited for a full minute as Robin proceeded to methodically break his bones, one by one. He wasn't quite smiling, but there was a distinct curve of his lips that suggested he might.

She didn't know how he was surviving this, but Robin knew she had to kill him quickly. Gapopo' neck was still facing the opposite direction. She summoned more hands around him to grip his skull and keep on twisting. _I'll rip off his head and throw it into the ocean_, she thought furiously.

"Alright," Gapopo sighed, as the arms wrapped him in a deeper body lock, crushing him like a vice. "This was fun for a while, but now it's just getting boring…"

With a crack, his neck started to rotate back around. Robin tried to stop him, but he was strong. Frighteningly, inhumanly strong. One by one, his joints all started to click back into position. Robin tried to hold him in place, but she couldn't. Her elbows were straining just trying to hold him.

_He is not a normal man_, Robin thought with quiet dread. _Not even close_. Gapopo smirked quietly as he started to move, slowly dragging himself out of Robin's grip. There were three dozen arms trying to hold him down, but they couldn't. He was too strong.

"So this is the power of the Flower Flower fruit?" Gapopo muttered, tearing his way out of the arms with ease. "Hm."

_Breaking bones isn't going to work with him_, Robin decided. With a thought, the other arms disappeared. Robin concentrated and tensed her muscles, and then two chains of arms sprouted up from behind Gapopo. The hands each clutched a heavy boulder and dragged it upwards, before the arms lurched back and slammed the boulders straight into Gapopo's skull like a whip.

Robin was sure she saw the old man's skull crack, but then a moment later the old man was walking again, completely unharmed.

Her eyes narrowed. Gapopo was whistling, a quiet hum under his breath as he slowly strolled towards her. _Just what is this man?_

He wasn't Logia, at least, but Robin honestly didn't know what he was. He definitely had some weird power. Somehow, nothing could hurt him.

_Fine_, Robin thought angrily, cracking her knuckles. _I'll put that to the test_.

The hands bloomed around her madly. Robin could feel the exertion of using her power so much, but she pushed it harder and harder. Suddenly, there were fingers wrapping around Gapopo's feet as he walked, trying to hold him down.

The man just grunted and easily kicked his way through, the hands disappearing into blossom swirls, but Robin wasn't done. Fists sprouted up from next to him on chains of arms, firing into his body as fast as bullets, while hands clutched rocks and tried to hammer Gapopo's skull in. Fingers gouged at Gapopo's eyes, tearing through his skin, while the onslaught of hands just kept on coming.

Still, Gapopo didn't even slow done. He didn't stop whistling, even as he tore his way easily through the hands that tried to hold him. He walked like a juggernaut; slow, casually moving, but immensely strong.

_He wasn't bleeding_, Robin realised slowly. No matter how she hurt him, he never bled a drop of blood.

In fact, Robin's knuckles and fingers were raw from punching and scratching him so much. The strain of summoning so many limbs was getting to her. She could feel her strength ebbing away.

"Are you done yet?" Gapopo asked curiously. He was getting close to her. He wasn't moving quickly, but he was closer. Somehow, Robin never wanted him to reach her.

She started to back away slowly. She could take Luffy and run. Robin barely managed to take two steps, before Gapopo shot after in a sudden burst of speed. Robin yelped as the old man gripped her tightly by the throat. His hand was like iron.

"This would be much easier if you just stepped aside," Gapopo muttered quietly. He was still smiling softly.

"…What…" Robin gasped. "…What are you…?"

His smile widened. "Are you sure you want to know?" He muttered, pulling her in close. "Promise me you can keep a secret."

Slowly, with his other hand, Gapopo unfastened his coat and opened it carefully. Robin's eyes widened in shock as she saw a dark green vine untangle itself from around his waist.

Tentacles. There were tentacles unwrapping themselves from around Gapopo's body.

Instantly, Robin sprouted three hands, pushing Gapopo away as she twisted herself out of his grip. She staggered backwards, still gasping as she stared with pure shock. Gapopo was laughing madly as one of the tentacles twisted upwards and slowly pulled his coat over.

Underneath, he was wearing a brown suit with a bright yellow flower stitched on the centre, but then he took that off as well. Robin gasped as she saw more tentacles sprout from his back, neatly folding up his clothes and placing them on the ground. As his suit came off, she saw the teeth bursting from his chest.

"You're… you're… you're a monster…" Robin gasped, slowly backing away.

Gapopo chuckled. "Well, that's not very nice. It's only a _flower_."

The 'flower' had sharp, thorn like teeth, on a circular, featureless head, with a sickeningly leafy texture. Slowly, the mouth opened and closed, like a predator biting the air in practice. Almost slowly, the head extended from Gapopo's chest, supported by thick, bark-like branches that throbbed like veins.

Robin could see Gapopo's ribcage, she realised suddenly. He didn't have any skin on his chest; instead there were just those tentacles, wrapped around inside his exposed bones. There were no organs, just a dark, blood red substance growing in his chest with a distinctly fungus-like texture.

She couldn't see where the person ended and the creature began. There were tentacles and plant-like veins draping under his skin, all the way up his neck. Gapopo was just a skeleton with that… thing embedded in his chest.

Gapopo smirked. His smiled looked almost hungry. The plant-like mouth was drooling softly. "There are a lot of monsters in this world," Gapopo whispered. "Tell me, have you ever heard of plant called the Lily Carnation?"

Robin backed away slowly. The tentacles were still extending themselves from Gapopo's body. Gapopo's human skin ended across his shoulders, and there were sharp, green thorns growing out of the tentacles slowly.

"That's a _plant_?!" Robin muttered, staring at the drooling mouth in horror.

"Oh yes," Gapopo said with a chuckle. "Lily and I met _decades_ ago. I feed her and give her a place to grow, and in return she's quite grateful. She's the one that grants me my youthful physique."

The tentacles slowly started to dig into the ground like roots, lifting Gapopo three feet in the air. A skeleton supported by a monstrous, demonic plant. The mouth extended further from Gapopo's chest, snapping and drooling as it focused on Robin hungrily.

No wonder Robin hadn't been able to break any of his bones. There had been that plant inside of him, with tentacles running underneath his skin, to simply pull his body back into shape.

Robin felt her heart pound. Her knees were trembling. She was standing there, all alone, and face to face with a true abomination.

"You feed her…" Robin repeated slowly. "…_What_ do you feed it?"

"Why, people of course," Gapopo explained softly. "Lily has a quite an appetite for a growing girl. She needs a regular supply of bodies and soul, otherwise she gets… cranky. Fortunately a few extra corpses are no issue, not in my line of work, and so I get to live a bit longer."

Robin stared in horror. "…You sacrifice people to that _thing_ just to stay alive?"

"I do what I need to do to survive," Gapopo chuckled. "From what I hear of your reputation, are you really one to judge?"

Her hands clenched. The plant slowly started to creep forward, supported by thick tentacles digging into the ground. "Now then…" Gapopo muttered. "Are you ready to fight properly?"

Robin's eyes widened. She barely had time to react before suddenly a tentacle lashed down at her with blinding speed. Robin leapt to one side, but the tentacle still whipped around and sent her flying.

The pain as she crashed into the wall was agony. Still, Robin recovered just in time to see another tentacle whip towards her. She reacted instantly, sprouting a dozen hands to grip the tentacle in place. Robin screamed as the thorns running down the tentacle sliced her palms open.

The ground rumbled. Robin dodged to one side just as a tentacle, one of the roots of Lily Carnation, burst from the floor. She tried to run, but then the tentacle wrapped itself around her leg and dragged her upside down into the air.

Then, that teethed, gruesome mouth lunged towards her, teeth snapping hungrily. Robin barely managed to sprout her leg from the creature's head, kicking it firmly to one side as Robin cut her way out of the tentacle and dropped to the ground, using her own hands to catch her.

"Now that's not very nice," Gapopo chided. "Come on now, you don't want to make Lily _angry_–"

His voice cut off as Robin screamed, punching her hand forward as a chain of arms sprouted from her fist in series, building up speed with distance until her knuckles cracked against Gapopo's jaw with a dull thud. The man just grunted, but Robin wasn't done. Her hand jammed itself into Gapopo's mouth, grabbing a hold of his lower jaw, before the arms retracted as Robin tore Gapopo's jaw clean off.

He exclaimed something that sounded vaguely similar to 'Not nice', but it was really hard to tell as his jaw bone cracked. With a sickening crunch, Gapopo was missing half his mouth. His tongue was dangling uselessly from his throat, but, if anything, he looked only mildly annoyed as he frowned at Robin.

The Lily Carnation didn't stop at all. The tentacles were everywhere, grinding through stone with ease and Robin had no choice but to try and run. She had to duck and weave across the uneven ground, desperately trying to avoid the tentacles whipping everywhere.

_I can't win this fight_, she thought with panic. _I need to run_.

She should have run. She knew that running was her only chance.

But still, she also knew that Luffy was lying right behind, and it was him that Gapopo was really after. If she ran, this monster could kill Luffy easily in his unconscious state. Even as her head was screaming at her to run for her life, Robin just knew in her bones that she wouldn't be able.

Another tentacle swiped towards her. Robin's hands clenched into fists. _I need to do this._

Her jaw clenched as suddenly a row of arms bloomed across the ground, sprouting upwards and wrapping around the tentacle tightly. It thrashed, but Robin's arms interlocked and dragged it to the ground. She winced as sharp cuts appeared across her forearms, but there was no time for hesitation.

With a short grunt, Robin lashed out with her leg and kicked forward, as suddenly her foot sprouted out from the ground a several metres. Her foot pressed into tentacle with force while her arms twisted and she heard the tentacle tear. With a spluttering of thick ooze, suddenly she was ripping the tentacle in half.

_One tentacle down, another three to go_.

Lily snarled viciously, but Robin was already ducking and weaving away from the lashes of counteracts. Chidingly, Gapopo wagged his finger disapprovingly, unable to speak without his jaw.

She was panting as the exhaustion got to her, but then she felt her body tremble as she saw the damaged tentacle already sealing up and regenerating. Even the severed end of the tentacle was still thrashing on the ground madly.

Robin could have sworn that Gapopo was smiling as Lily clenched one of its tentacles, and a barky thorn, as long and as sharp as spear, started to grow out the tip. With a smooth motion, the tentacle whipped and suddenly it was throwing the thorn through the air, as fast as an arrow.

The archaeologist leapt to the side, landing roughly on the sharp rubble to get away. Through the corner of her eye, she only just glimpsed the thorn changing direction in mid-air, homing straight towards her…

The thorn crashed into the stone, biting nearly half a metre through the stone. On pure impulse, Robin managed to sprout two arms that dragged her body to one side at the last second, but she still felt the thorn come so close it brushed against her skin. Robin's eyes were wide with panic, but then she saw the tentacles writhing, with more thorns emerging out of them.

_Move_. The single thought overpowered all others.

Robin sprinted. She ran faster than she had ever ran, even as the projectile thorns chased after her like homing missiles. They crashed around her, coming so close that Robin knew that if she paused even slightly, she was dead.

A thorn shot towards her. Robin dived out the way, but her feet lost their balance as the wooden arrow pierced the ground where she had been standing. Even before Robin toppled to the ground, her powers worked instinctively. At once, there was another leg sprouting from her thigh, kicking off the ground to balance herself and she kept on running.

More legs appeared constantly, letting her run faster and more agilely than ever. At one point, Robin couldn't even count the amount of legs she was using. As soon as one foot left the ground, there was another foot there to power her forward just a bit faster. The legs disappeared as quickly as they came, but Robin couldn't be tripped up when she had so many to balance on.

More arrows were coming, but she was outrunning and outmanoeuvring them. She sprinted in a wide circle all the way around the Lily Carnation, eyes sharp as she looked for any opportunity against the demon plant. Her heart was pounding faster than ever.

Her hands alone wouldn't work here. She needed some sort of weapon…

There were so many arrows flying behind her. Her body tensed. _Now!_

With a fluid motion, Robin changed direction, her body sliding almost horizontally across the ground. She gasped as she felt the thorn arrows come so close they rustled through her hair, but her arm darted out quickly. In an instant, her hand wrapped itself around the shaft of a thorn, with more arms sprouting from her elbow to help her hold it. She could feel the thorn vibrating and thrashing against her grip, but Robin's hands on tightly as she yanked it out of the air.

She was running again in a second, charging straight towards the demon plant at breakneck speed. Using her powers so furiously was burning through her stamina quickly, but she didn't care.

That hideous mouth lunged towards her; teeth snapping furiously and drooling go everywhere. Robin didn't care. She gripped the thorn arrow tightly and lunged upwards with all the strength she had.

It came so close that she was milliseconds away from having her arm bitten off. Still, Robin roared furiously as all her arms jammed the thorn upwards.

The image of Luffy, his face clenched as he unleashed a punch, flashed through her mind.

"…_My boyfriend_." She growled, just as she stabbed the thorn straight through Lily Carnation's head.

Ooze splattered everywhere. Robin dropped to the ground and crashed into the debris, her body rolling painfully through the rubble. She gasped for breath, feeling the fatigue hit her like a Sea Train. She was so exhausted she could barely move, while the Lily Carnation screamed and thrashed wildly with the spear through its head, before toppling to the ground.

There was a moment of silence. Robin panted, sweat dripping of her brow, before she slowly started to pull herself up. She never even got to her knees before a sharp boot kicked her in the chest.

"…_That_…" A hoarse voice muttered coldly. "…was not _nice_…!"

_Oh no_, Robin thought with panic, just as the boot stamped on her chest, pinning her to the ground. She was left staring upwards at Gapopo, the man wincing with pain as he tried to reattach his jaw.

The Lily Carnation was hanging out of his skeletal chest, the thorn still stabbing through its mouth, but it wasn't dead. The tentacles were still drooped but still moving sluggishly. Even with that arrow through its head and bleeding ooze, the tentacles were still alive.

Gapopo's eyes looked unhinged. That polite façade was gone, now he just looked like some undead gruesome monster, his pupils dilated with insanity. With a snarl, Gapopo slowly raised a pistol and pointed it at Robin's skull. The archaeologist was so exhausted she couldn't even move. Her eyes widened in fear as she stared straight down the barrel of the gun.

"Do you know what?" Gapopo muttered, cocking the pistol. "Fuck the list. I'm going to kill you for free."

With one last breath, her eyes closed. Her heart was pounding furiously, but her last thought was of Luffy. She only wished that their happy moments could have lasted a bit longer.

_I'm so sorry_…

She heard the gunshot. Her whole body tensed…

And nothing happened. The world went quiet.

Slowly, Robin opened her eyes. She was left staring at a bullet, suspended motionless in the air, inches away from her forehead. The air was cold. Her frenzied breathing created a hazy mist in the still air.

The bullet was held by a small trail of ice trailing towards the nozzle. The ice was still creeping along the gun.

She looked at Gapopo, his eyes still bulging madly, but frozen solid in the moment. There was ice creeping across his monstrous body.

"Please do not kill my charge," A bored voice drawled quietly. With that, Gapopo shattered. His whole body, plant as well, cracking and breaking into a thousand shards of ice as a swift arm demolished him with ease.

Lumps of ice went everywhere. Robin was left staring upwards, wide-eyed, at a tall man in a white suit looking down on her. Kuzan's eyes were as impassive as always.

"Good evening, Robin," the admiral muttered with a sigh. He sounded almost disappointed. "Now just look at what you've done this time…"

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**As promised, the second part. Enjoy.**

**And yes, the mercenaries are all dead by the end of it. I did try to make them interesting OCs, but one of the main motivations for writing remorseless, interesting villains is just so the readers can cheer when they die gruesome deaths :)**

**Got to admit, I'm actually really excited for the next few chapters. The Water 7 arc is coming to it's peak and, yeah, I've planning this for a while.**

**Next time: Lightning vs Ice... Luffy vs Aokiji... 'Absolute Zero'...**


End file.
